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North American Network Operators Group Date Prev | Date Next | Date Index | Thread Index | Author Index | Historical Re: Paul's Mailfrom (Was: IETF SMTP Working Group Proposal at
From: Paul Vixie <[email protected]> >i measure success by the fraction: > > rejected_spam / total_spam > >thus if i can reject 6000/10000 that may not seem better than rejecting >1000/4000 since i ended up dealing with 4000 received spams rather than >3000, but it actually does mean that my situation got better >_compared_to_having_done_nothing_. Fair enough but let me explain why I find this unsatisfying. It's like I'm living in a neighborhood where the crime rate is rising and rising, and you're "selling" security grates and better locks. They even seem to keep the crooks out of the bedroom at night for a while anyhow, so that's your measure, often keeps you from being murdered! The problem is, the crooks are still banging at the doors, trying to crowbar their way in, etc. Let me give two common spam examples to show this is a very tight analogy: a) The other day our mail servers were groaning unusually. What was happening was that someone had firehosed MSN.COM with a spam with a return address forged with our domain. So even tho we were blocking it, in fact the bounce user didn't exist so we didn't really have to block it, all of MSN's server power being pointed at us trying to return many thousands of bounces as fast as they could was quite painful. b) A few weeks ago I counted over 200 open relays simultaneously spewing the same spam at us. The point being they will fill your pipes, cause you to need more servers just to run these various filters, run our people ragged, etc. So, it's nice that someone is providing security grates and alarm systems etc, but it'd be nice if the crack (spam) houses would just shut down entirely so we could sit on our porches and chit-chat without worrying about the constant drive-by shootings. If you get my drift. And that's going to require socio-legal approaches, not ever stronger security grates. Because sooner or later you can't see out the grated windows any more or get some air through them, and you're afraid to go outside... -- -Barry Shein Software Tool & Die | [email protected] | http://www.TheWorld.com Purveyors to the Trade | Voice: 617-739-0202 | Login: 617-739-WRLD The World | Public Access Internet | Since 1989 *oo*
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