> What's happening is that a lot of people
> send SPAM to my server (to non-existent addresses)...

"Sanford Whiteman" <swhitemanlistens-software@cypressintegrated.com> wrote
in message news:op.tsw7zyv46c17zw@gw02.broadleaf.local...
> > What's happening is that a lot of people
> > send SPAM to my server (to non-existent addresses)...
>
> There is little reason for a contemporary MX to accept mail for
> non-existent addresses. Your problem starts there. What is it that
> prevents you from loading a recipient list and using a transport event
> sink to reject at the connection level?

>
> The issue of suppressing NDRs -- accepting, then later bit-bucketing,
> messages firmly identified as spam -- is different. That's the "Bouncing
> spam is bad netizenship/bouncing spam makes you complicit in Joe Jobs" vs.
> "Not bouncing undelivered messages breaks the RFCs/you can never be sure
> enough of spamminess" debate. *That* debate has swung strongly in favor
> of the first position for several years.

>
> --Sandy
>

"Sanford Whiteman" <swhitemanlistens-software@cypressintegrated.com> wrote
in message news:op.tsx98ybz6c17zw@gw02.broadleaf.local...
> > I didn't know that could be done. Can you elaborate on how this is
> > accomplished using Exchange 2000 and
> > a separate SMTP machine as a relay? If I can get the mail server to just
> > reject all connection attempts to non-existant mailboxes that would be a
> > lot
> > better :-)
>
> 5xxSink is a transport event sink specifically designed for the rejection
> of
> unknown recipients at the MX.
>
> Download:
>
>
http://www.imprimia.com/products/software/freeutils/5xxsink/download/release
>
> Be sure to go over the README and RELNOTES in-depth.

>
> > I don't know much about that - all I know is that my IIS 5 SMTP machine
> > is
> > kindly sending NDR reports for every email it receives that is not
> > addressed
> > to an existing mailbox. Of course, the account used to send the mail
does
> > not exist so it's a waste for everyone.
>
> Quite so. For you, the waste is abetted by accepting the mail in the
> first place. *Just* because something was sent to a nonexistent
> mailbox doesn't mean it was spam -- as such user errors occur, in
> small but non-negligible quantity, all the time.

>
> Your server is absolutely correct to generate an NDR by default, in
> the absence of any spam detection at that level. When the sender is
> legit, the NDR is invaluable.

>
> When the sender is forged or does not exist, the NDR is extremely
> problematic, one the first hand making you complicit in Joe Jobs, and
> on the second resulting in postmaster messages (double-bounce
> notifications).

>
> --Sandy

"Dave Onex" <dave@onex.com> wrote in message
news:uYUm529nHHA.4424@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>
> "Sanford Whiteman" <swhitemanlistens-software@cypressintegrated.com> wrote
> in message news:op.tsx98ybz6c17zw@gw02.broadleaf.local...
> > > I didn't know that could be done. Can you elaborate on how this is
> > > accomplished using Exchange 2000 and
> > > a separate SMTP machine as a relay? If I can get the mail server to
just
> > > reject all connection attempts to non-existant mailboxes that would be
a
> > > lot
> > > better :-)
> >
> > 5xxSink is a transport event sink specifically designed for the
rejection
> > of
> > unknown recipients at the MX.
> >
> > Download:
> >
> >
>
http://www.imprimia.com/products/software/freeutils/5xxsink/download/release
> >
> > Be sure to go over the README and RELNOTES in-depth.
>
> Thanks for the link - it's exactly what I'm after and as you've pointed
out
> (and educated me in the process) it's the preferred solution :-)
>
> Funny thing - when I copy and paste the following I got an error (due to
> syntax)
>
> cscript smtpreg.vbs /add 1 oninboundcommand 5xxsink
> 5xxsink.sink "rcpt"
>
> but when I manually entered the command it worked :-)
>
> >
> > > I don't know much about that - all I know is that my IIS 5 SMTP
machine
> > > is
> > > kindly sending NDR reports for every email it receives that is not
> > > addressed
> > > to an existing mailbox. Of course, the account used to send the mail
> does
> > > not exist so it's a waste for everyone.
> >
> > Quite so. For you, the waste is abetted by accepting the mail in the
> > first place. *Just* because something was sent to a nonexistent
> > mailbox doesn't mean it was spam -- as such user errors occur, in
> > small but non-negligible quantity, all the time.
>
> Agreed - although you know more about this then I do :-)
>
> >
> > Your server is absolutely correct to generate an NDR by default, in
> > the absence of any spam detection at that level. When the sender is
> > legit, the NDR is invaluable.
>
> Agreed - it would be a shame to cut that functionality due to spam
>
> >
> > When the sender is forged or does not exist, the NDR is extremely
> > problematic, one the first hand making you complicit in Joe Jobs, and
> > on the second resulting in postmaster messages (double-bounce
> > notifications).
>
> But not anymore..... :-)
> Thank you very much Sandy - I appreciate the education and also the better
> way to resolve the issue. Much appreciated!
>
> >
> > --Sandy
>
>

> I didn't know that could be done. Can you elaborate on how this is
> accomplished using Exchange 2000 and
> a separate SMTP machine as a relay? If I can get the mail server to just
> reject all connection attempts to non-existant mailboxes that would be a
> lot
> better :-)

> I don't know much about that - all I know is that my IIS 5 SMTP machine
> is
> kindly sending NDR reports for every email it receives that is not
> addressed
> to an existing mailbox. Of course, the account used to send the mail does
> not exist so it's a waste for everyone.

"Sanford Whiteman" <swhitemanlistens-software@cypressintegrated.com> wrote
in message news:op.tsyg1l0e6c17zw@gw02.broadleaf.local...
> > Any ideas on why that would happen? I'm running Windows 2000 AS with all
> > updates installed.
>
> Did you make sure you have the two files prescan.txt and rcptlist.txt in
> place in the expected location?
>
> I'm not aware of any known issues with the current release.
>
> --Sandy

> Any ideas on why that would happen? I'm running Windows 2000 AS with all
> updates installed.

> Funny thing - when I copy and paste the following I got an error (due to
> syntax)
>
> cscript smtpreg.vbs /add 1 oninboundcommand 5xxsink
> 5xxsink.sink "rcpt"
>
> but when I manually entered the command it worked :-)

> Thanks for your help with solving this issue - I've tested it a number of
> different ways and it's good now and doing exactly what I was after.

"Sanford Whiteman" <swhitemanlistens-software@cypressintegrated.com> wrote
in message news:op.tsyqupnf6c17zw@gw02.broadleaf.local...
> > Thanks for your help with solving this issue - I've tested it a number
of
> > different ways and it's good now and doing exactly what I was after.
>
> Excellent. Enjoy.
>
> --Sandy

"Sanford Whiteman" <swhitemanlistens-software@cypressintegrated.com> wrote
in message news:op.ts32iljj6c17zw@gw02.broadleaf.local...
> > My understanding was that the sink program dropped all connections when
> > they
> > tried to send mail to a non-existant user. Maybe I misunderstood or have
> > configured something incorrectly?
>
> Your understanding is correct! But obviously something is wrong in your
> installation.

>
> First, does your server only allow relaying to those same domains (this
> setting is at the IIS level)?

>
> Second, what do you see in your logs for these sessions?

>
> Contact me off-list if you want and we can get this fixed up. I'm going
> out of town for a few days starting tomorrow, so the sooner, the better.

>
> --Sandy

> My understanding was that the sink program dropped all connections when
> they
> tried to send mail to a non-existant user. Maybe I misunderstood or have
> configured something incorrectly?

>> Contact me off-list if you want and we can get this fixed up. I'm going
>> out of town for a few days starting tomorrow, so the sooner, the better.
>
> No worries - I can wait too :-)

"Sanford Whiteman" <swhitemanlistens-software@cypressintegrated.com> wrote
in message news:op.ttkmvdgb6c17zw@gw02.broadleaf.local...
> >> Contact me off-list if you want and we can get this fixed up. I'm
going
> >> out of town for a few days starting tomorrow, so the sooner, the
better.
> >
> > No worries - I can wait too :-)
>
> Dave, let's get this done. Contact me off-list so we can talk more about
> your environment.
>
> --Sandy
>
>

>> Dave, let's get this done. Contact me off-list so we can talk more
>> about your environment.