[CS-FSLUG] My analysis of the email spam problem

[Ed Hurst]

Norbert Bollow wrote:

> What I mean is that each mailserver is a peer in the peer-to-peer
> network of mailservers, and everyone who wants to is free to operate a
> mailserver, which can be implemented in free software.

Most recipients I try reject mail from my dialup connection if send
direct-to-MX. That's usually a source of spam, and is correctly bounced.

I prefer the method upon which SPEWS is based, by blocking every IP
known to produce spam. However, their shotgun approach apalls me. I
prefer a more fine-grained selection. But instead of simply blocking
their mail, I believe it is better to simply firewall all traffic from
those IPs.

While this is less pure than your solution from a theoretical viewpoint,
it is far more likely to work. It attacks spam in the most vulnerable
link -- the offending service provider. I would also ensure that there
is far better publicity before the various participants begin the
firewalling. I would really prefer to initiate this at the root server
level, so that their traffic really goes nowhere.

-- 
Ed Hurst
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