On 20-Oct-2000 Kevin Waterson wrote:
>
> I made a check of the server and all was well but
> when I checked it from the facility at
> abuse.net I found it was reporting an open relay.
>
> The problem it seems stems from qmails handling of
> one of the tests has qmail accepting the mail and
> dealing with it internally, so that probably ever
> qmail server will eventually end up listed on orbs,
> with an incorrectly assumed open relay.
ORBS doesn't use the abuse.net tests to determine who is
an open relay. Typically, ORBS requires the delivery of a
piece of email via the alleged open relay before adding
that host ot its list. A properly configured qmail server
will not act as an open relay even as it fails the abuse.net
test.
Having said that, it is possible to be listed even if your
server is not an open relay, usually because one of your
clients is open, and they are using your server for outbound
mail. Simply correct your clients config and signal your
server as fixed via the ORBS web page. For a more permament
fix, run ORBS on your servers against your clients, and list
your servers(s) as ORBS hubs.
> But we needed action quickly as users were complaining
> so we had to switch our primary server to sendmail, to
> avoid any confusion.
>
> Now, if Orbs are incorrectly listing services perhaps
> we here need to follow up with our legal people.
This is a charge frequently levelled at ORBS; indeed,
our servers have been incorrectly listed twice. However,
once was a typographical error on the part of an admin, and
the other because a netblock was listed with the wrong
ownership at the relevant authority. In both cases, the
error was quickly attended to by ORBS admin.
--
Rick Lyons
WebCentral
