A friendly alert for the "BananaMan" and his users - was Re: Group not listed getlist, actsync and GROUP command
D. Stussy
messages are not being propagated due to others with similar settings that
some of us are blocking due to abuse. Example:
rejecting[perl] <h1da2a$e0k$1...@news.eternal-september.org> 439 Banned
Reply-To (@example.invalid)
What good is it to set a "Reply-To:" header for which no one can reply?
The only reason to set a reply-to header at all is because the From header
lists a bogus address. If one doesn't want replies, leave the From header
as bogus and OMIT reply-to. Doing "stupid things" often runs afoul of spam
filters. This is one of those times!
Note: Although we generally accept RHSs that are of the ".invalid" TLD
(since it is reserved for bogus purposes per RFC), "example" as a 2LD is a
reserved word (Per ICANN contracts) and therefore blocked (except for the
one domain that actually exists, "example.de").
Also note: The courtesy of allowing the ".invalid" TLD in mailbox-type
addresses may not extend to the message-ID field.
Final note: Similarly with RHS "@localhost" - which fails to promise
uniqueness; or "@*.localdomain" - for people who don't understand that
they're supposed to substitute their real domain name.
K. A. Cannon
<sp...@bde-arc.ampr.org> wrote:
>Meanwhile, perhaps you should let your users know that some of their
>messages are not being propagated due to others with similar settings that
>some of us are blocking due to abuse. Example:
>
>rejecting[perl] <h1da2a$e0k$1...@news.eternal-september.org> 439 Banned
>Reply-To (@example.invalid)
>
>What good is it to set a "Reply-To:" header for which no one can reply?
You run your news server as you like.
Don't tell people how to run thiers.
<snip>
--
K. A. Cannon
kevin.a.cannon at gmail.com.
COOSN-266-06-02374
Hammer of Thor, April 2005
PIERRE SALINGER MEMORIAL HOOK, LINE & SINKER June 2007
Barbara Woodhouse Memorial Dog Whistle X 2
#9 People ruining UseNet lits.
#6 Top Assholes on the Net lits.
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#15 AUK psychos and felons lits
#5 Cog in the AUK Hate Machine
http://www.themonastery.org/dev/cert/ulc_certificate_view.swf?id=10010810040414
Peter J Ross
<sp...@bde-arc.ampr.org> wrote:
> Meanwhile, perhaps you should let your users know that some of their
> messages are not being propagated due to others with similar settings that
> some of us are blocking due to abuse.
How does blocking articles with imperfect Reply-To headers reduce the
propagation of abusive articles?
> Example:
>
> rejecting[perl] <h1da2a$e0k$1...@news.eternal-september.org> 439 Banned
> Reply-To (@example.invalid)
>
> What good is it to set a "Reply-To:" header for which no one can reply?
No good at all, and it can be a nuisance. However, it's the kind of
nuisance that's characteristic of cluelessness rather than
abusiveness.
> The only reason to set a reply-to header at all is because the From header
> lists a bogus address.
No, there are other possible reasons. E.g.,
From: user...@example.com
Reply-To: us...@example.com
Both mailboxes are real, but the "user-spam" mailbox is heavily
filtered.
> If one doesn't want replies, leave the From header
> as bogus and OMIT reply-to. Doing "stupid things" often runs afoul of spam
> filters. This is one of those times!
I don't see why spammers, like other kinds of abusers, should insert a
"bogus" Reply-To line.
> Note: Although we generally accept RHSs that are of the ".invalid" TLD
> (since it is reserved for bogus purposes per RFC), "example" as a 2LD is a
> reserved word (Per ICANN contracts) and therefore blocked (except for the
> one domain that actually exists, "example.de").
Do you have a problem with "@example.invalid" in the From line? I use
it because it can't be converted into a "real" domain.
> Also note: The courtesy of allowing the ".invalid" TLD in mailbox-type
> addresses may not extend to the message-ID field.
... or any other field, IMO.
> Final note: Similarly with RHS "@localhost" - which fails to promise
> uniqueness; or "@*.localdomain" - for people who don't understand that
> they're supposed to substitute their real domain name.
I agree that all the behaviours of which you've given examples should
be discouraged, but I don't see how they're connected with abuse.
--
PJR :-)
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