Re: [cobalt-users] Open Relaying

[Dom Latter <d.latter@xxxxxxx>]

Dan Kriwitsky wrote:
> 
> > users that change services regularly.  I would also like to know how to
> > fully open up the relaying, it would save me at least an hour a
> > day in admin time.
> >
> Just put .com .net and .org in there and then watch your server get black
> holed by MAPS RSS and ORBS as an open relay. I know my server won't accept
> mail from you.

Dan (K), I think what you've said may not be transparent enough to an admin 
who has said "I would also like to know how to fully open up the relaying".

DAN LINDENBERGER, JC JONES; PAY ATTENTION.

This is what happens when you open up relaying.

For a short while, your customers are able to send mail, they don't have to 
collect mail before sending (what a drag, huh?) and you don't have to enable
relaying individually.

A spammer very soon scans your machine and discovers that they can relay 
through it.  Thousands of spam emails start getting relayed through your 
machine.  (This'll probably start on a Friday or Saturday night so they
can get as much of a free ride as possible).

Hundreds of these will bounce and for each one you'll get an email 
telling you so.

Your legitimate customers will find their own mail and web services 
affected by the saturation of the line by the spammers (how badly?
anyone know?).

You will receive complaints asking you to disable relaying.

If you do not, then you will find your server added to a database
such as that maintained by ORBS.  Many people refuse to accept
*any* mail from servers in that database.  Including email from 
your customers.

Your customers leave you.


Read for more info:
http://www.linx.net/noncore/bcp/ube-bcp.html


But hey, if you're going to do it anyway, please let us know first, 
so we can have some funs and games before you get black-holed.

> The simple fact is, your clients shouldn't need to relay mail through your
> server. What kind of ISP are they using that don't have SMTP for them?

That may not be the point: for business credibility a lot of people
want email from them to come from their server, not an ISP's.

-- 
Dom.