Re: [cobalt-users] Get me off the ORBS list

[Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Kevin D wrote:

> This ORBS stuff is pretty bad. I myself only very rarely block an
> entire mail server - only as an absolute last resort (ie contacting the
> server postmaster fails, no single email address to block, etc).

To see what ORBS does, look at "http://www.orbs.org/envelopes.html";.

ORBS doesn't block anything.  They offer a list of hosts through which
they've been able to relay mail.

> Is there any legal action you could take? It seems that if the ORBS people
> don't have any proof of abuse then they are unfairly characterizing you -

See the same site, "http://www.orbs.org/envelopes.html";.  According to
ORBS ("http://www.orbs.org/whatisthis.html";), they only add you to the
list if the message is actually relayed:

> ORBS, or the Open Relay Behaviour-modification System,
> is a database for tracking SMTP servers that have been
> confirmed to permit third-party relay. These servers permit
> spammers to connect to them from anywhere in the world,
> usually from a modem connection, and then forward the spam

Or if you intentionally block ORBS tests:

> to its intended victims. It also tracks networks that
> prevent ORBS from verifying whether or not their SMTP
> servers continue to permit third-party relay - it is
> fairly common for inept administrators to try blocking
> the ORBS testers rather than to actually fix their
> security problems. 

The second function is most controversial.

Also note:

> ORBS is NOT a "black hole" - we do not disseminate routing
> information causing included hosts to be unreachable from
> portions of the Internet. Running an open relay is usually
> accidental and those admins who continue to run open relays
> after being warned about it by ORBS and/or other entities will
> eventually find themselves in the MAPS RBL - which is a "black
> hole" and is used by at least 40% of the mail servers on the
> Internet.

While I greatly dispute the 40% figure, I agree that it's important to
stay out of MAPS RBL.

Jeff
-- 
Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
nobaloney.net
P. O. Box 52672
Riverside, CA  92517
voice: (909) 787-8589  *  fax: (909) 782-0205