[NTLUG:Discuss] Anti-Virus/Anti-Spamming for Sendmail on Linux

[JR Newsletters]

Chris Cox wrote:

> Sendmail has and ALWAYS is administered with sendmail.cf...
> The sendmail.mc is simply a layman's way of making rule changes
> easier inside of sendmail.cf.  Sendmail.mc handles "pre-canned"
> sendmail configuration macro-to-sendmail.cf changes.... but if
> you want to have full control, you have to modify sendmail.cf. 

I understand.  If you read the books and howtos, there are 2 areas of 
thought: 1 area that thinks sendmail.cf is there for the taking, and the 
other area of thought thinks you should do your changes to the *.mc 
files and let the m4 macro convert it to the sendmail.cf file so that 
human hands don't touch the sendmail.cf file.  Which is more correct?  
I'm not sure, but the sendmail.mc route is easier (to a point). 

> Something to keep in mind.  If you run sendmail.
>
> I highly recommend
> that you get a book (O'Reilly) and fully understand the sendmail rule 
> engine.
> Syntax is terse and hard to read...but also very, very powerful (also 
> means
> shooting yourself in the foot alot... the bullet is in the chamber
> and not in Barney's pocket). 

I have the book, thanks.  I know about going through the rules engine.   
Yes, I know sendmail uses the .cf file directly, and, yes, I could 
figure out the rules if I wanted....not something I'm fond of here.

> The reason why many choose a $$$ solution is that the really hate
> spam and don't want to go through the process of learning how
> to roll their own.... for those, the $$$ is well worth it.
> Obviously, learning how to do it is part of the fun of Linux. 

I wasn't talking about the Spam filtering programs, I was talking about 
the antivirus programs available for a mail server.  I only found 2 
antivirus programs that did not cost, but only 1 whose virus definitions 
are free.  Anti-virus programs/updates are big business.  Wasn't the OP 
asking about anti-virus programs for mail servers too?

I also found that even though you buy an anti-virus program, you're 
still stuck with customizing scripts or making 2 instances of sendmail 
run to use it on the mail server.  Anybody else know differently?  Who, 
where, and when?  Thanks.