Subject: Re: Off-topic postings

From: [email-masked] (Ari Ollikainen)
Date: Wed, 21 Oct 1998 18:05:27 -0700

At 4:14 PM 10/21/98, Andy Bierman wrote:
>
>I have someone here working on some SPAM filters for majordomo that will:

        Uhhh...beware of these quick fixes!

>  - verify the "To:" field is really the list address (e.g. [email-masked])

        Like this message, many replies might actually contain the list
        address in "Cc:" field.

>  - verify the domain portion of the "From" field is really from a domain
>    of a valid subscriber. (e.g. anything from foobar.com)

        Uh-oh!

        Like worldnet.net, pacbell.net, earthlink.net, aol.com, usa.net,
        hotmail.com, mci2000.com, uu.net ...?

        Domains can be filled with spammers.

>This closes some holes with very minimal deployment cost.
>
        Really?

        Requiring posters to be subscribers seems like the most reasonable
        longer term solution for preventing spam infiltration. Including
        the capability for a subscriber to UPDATE or ADD additional
        e-mail addresses used for posting would be useful.

      OLTECO                    Ari Ollikainen
      P.O. BOX 3688             Networking Technology and Architecture
      Stanford, CA              [email-masked]
      94309-3688                415.517.3519

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From: Andy Bierman <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 10:15:11 -0700

>         Like this message, many replies might actually contain the list

Actually I meant To or CC contains the list address. 
For the lists I'm trying to filter, much of the SPAM doesn't even
pass this test.

>         Domains can be filled with spammers.

I know this problem isn't addressed. I'm hoping (US) ISPs enforce SPAM laws
and the "ADV" subject line filter will help.

>         e-mail addresses used for posting would be useful.

I need some short-term minimal-impact help. I agree this is a 
reasonable long-term solution, but I can't break the mailing list by 
enforcing "subscriber addresses only" right now.

>       OLTECO                    Ari Ollikainen

Andy

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From: Andy Bierman <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 10:15:11 -0700

Andy