[2623] in SIPB_Linux_Development
RE: MIT Mailhubs Linux-Athena mail from outside net-18
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Patrick McCormick)
Sun Feb 14 14:26:25 1999
From: "Patrick McCormick" <pmccormi@MIT.EDU>
To: "Derek Atkins" <warlord@MIT.EDU>
Cc: <kcr@MIT.EDU>, <linux-dev@MIT.EDU>
Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1999 14:26:02 -0500
In-Reply-To: <sjmhfso6d4h.fsf@datkins.ihtfp.org>
> I claim that it is a bug because it is a radical change in (long-term)
> behavior with little to no warning. I personally have successfully
> been using the MIT mailhubs to send mail "from MIT" for a number of
> years, and only in the last week+ have I seen this problem. Moreover,
> I am not the only person to notice the problem.
I second this; the behavior of MIT mailhubs when non net-18 IPs connect
seems to have been changing recently. I heard from a professor about how
"mit.edu" wasn't working for his outgoing mailserver from his MediaOne IP a
month or two ago. I then saw some I/S email advising people to start using
outgoing.mit.edu just a few weeks ago.
> Yes, I realize that SPAM is an issue. I understand the concept of
> 'open relays'. However, I also believe that 'open' means sending mail
> from anywhere to anywhere through that host. I'm not asking for that.
> I'm asking for mail to be sent 'from MIT' (although connecting from
> anywhere) to anywhere. This is different than an open relay.
From ISP articles I've read, some ISPs have set up a system where people
must check their mail first in order to send mail. Checking their mail
(where they authenticate themselves) adds the source IP to a temporary list
of IP addresses allowed to send mail. This listing lasts for only a few
minutes.
I'm not advising that MIT set this up, but it appears that it's the only way
ISPs have found to allow legitimate users to send mail from any IP. I guess
the assumption is that if relays began to filter based on the "FROM"
address, spammers would abuse these "half-open" relays by using bogus
addressing.
--Pat
