[NTLUG:Discuss] the breaking point of spam

[Thomas Cameron]

Richard Geoffrion wrote:
> Something is wrong with the technology when 91% of an email server's mail is
> spam.  Blacklists are NOT a solution. It appears that ComCrap is now
> incorrectly listing servers that forward mail for alias accounts as spam
> servers.  There seems to be no human contact at Comcrap but the automated
> utility seems to unlist multiple times upon request.  Other issues where
> static/non-dialup IP addresses are listed in SORBS (a volunteer-run
> blacklist that should never be used by a business interested in receiving
> email) can leave end users unable to resolve issues on their own and leave
> them at the mercy of their ISPs to get off SORBS...which....ultimately
> leaves the ISP at the mercy of SORBS who is wholly unconcerned with prompt
> resolutions.
> 
> I've recently taken the stance that it is the recipient's responsibility to
> receive email.  I have quit trying to fight the myriad of lists.
> 
> Where are people in the Linux community going to throw their support behind
> a replacement solution? AMTP looked good but doesn't look like it is going
> to be adopted.  Someone somewhere has GOT to think of something that can be
> implemented into the current setup that would make a cutover painless and
> desireable.
> 

FWIW, I don't get spam any more.  Maybe 2-3 messages get through to my 
inbox per month.

Milter-greylist + SpamAssassin + spamass-milter + Vipul's Razor + pyzor 
+ RBLs + clamav + clamav-milter works incredibly well.  I've stopped 
gathering stats, but last time I checked I was rejecting or dropping 
well over 1000 UCE messages per day at the server, and it only serves a 
handful of mail accounts.

I know it's not really a good solution, because it doesn't stop spammers 
from sending, but at least I am guaranteed that none of my users ever 
see the junk mail.


TC