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Date: Sat, 11 Jun 2005 16:08:33 +1000
From: Craig Sanders
To: Oz-ISP, aussie-isp
Message-Id: <20050611060833.GB6237@taz.net.au>
In-Reply-To: <200506110137.j5B1b3EI030170@mailout2.pacific.net.au>
References: <04e701c56e18$e64243a0$664ca8c0@D3TJQ71S> <200506110137.j5B1b3EI030170@mailout2.pacific.net.au>
Subject: Re: [Oz-ISP] Helo Pacific
No followups recorded.

On Sat, Jun 11, 2005 at 11:36:00AM +1000, David Luyer wrote:
> > WHY would your Mail scanner accept obviously forged email?
> >
> > Received: from hunterlink.net.au (62-90-163-109.barak.net.il
> > [62.90.163.109])
> > by mailin2.pacific.net.au (8.13.4/8.13.4/Debian-1) with ESMTP id
> > j5AITlZr003570
> >
> > From: s u p p o r t @ h u n t e r l i n k . n e t . a u
>
> For that part - very few mail servers enforce good data in the
> HELO/EHLO hostnames - is anyone here doing any kind of check
> on the HELO/EHLO hostnames?

it's normal to check that the HELO hostname actually exists, but there's
no reliable or useful way of checking anything beyond that. after all,
what's the "correct" HELO hostname for a mail server with dozens of IP
addresses and/or that handles mail for thousands of domains.

checking for existence (in the DNS) of the hostname at least blocks
obvious forgeries with randomly generated hostnames (or which use the
HELO name as a kind of tracking code).



oh, just remembered....the one kind of HELO checking which IS possible
and worthwhile to do is to make sure that your own hostnames/domains
aren't being forged. your own networks and your customers networks
should be able to HELO/EHLO with your host/domain name, and
authenticated users too (e.g. SMTP AUTH or pop-before-smtp or whatever)
but nobody else outside your network should be able to do that.




> Now, Dave -- WHY would you reveal one of our whitelist entries on an
> open mailing list, which will archive the address on the web, and only
> result in more spam using it as a 'from' address?

not worth worrying about.  spammers will forge it anyway, especially when
it's a common localpart like support@

use the net as if spammers don't exist, and block as much spam as you can.

craig

--
craig sanders <c a s @ t a z . n e t . a u           (part time cyborg)
----
email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to m a j o r d o m o @ a u s s i e . n e t to be removed.

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