Using Statistics to Cause Spammers Pain

mlamb writes "Statistical mail classifiers like PopFile save time on the part of their users, but don't do anything to actively combat spam. I just published an article that suggests a way to use classifier output against a spammer while they're connected to your SMTP server, and I'm launching a project called TarProxy to implement it."

Comments

This is too complicated

[dacarr]

The simpler method is still SMTPAUTH. Now we just have to convince the world that this is a Good Thing.

OpenBSD's spamd

[almeida]

This is the same thing as OpenBSD's spamd, which Theo de Raadt wrote specifically to cause spam relays pain. spamd uses some new features of pf and blacklists from Spews to create a tarpit for incoming messages from known spam relays. It was even discussed on Slashdot in this article. Also, Daniel Hartmeier, pf developer extraordinaire and all around good guy, wrote a little piece about annoying spammers using pf, spamd, and bmf.

Daniel Hartmeier / OpenBSD / pf

[sillobalso]

Daniel Hartmeier uses OpenBSD and packet filter to waste spammers time.

the tarpits

[spoonist]

Here are some more spam tarpits:

TarProxy
ChuckMail
OpenBSD's spamd (tarball)
Google Search Results

Not a new idea.

[chrome]

Read about a method to get SpamAssassin to execute at SMTP time in exim (I'm about to impliment this on my own mailserver) and read about teergrubing which is basically the same idea as a tarpit.

Unlike the original post, Marc seems to have a stable working version of this right now.

That said, this is probably the most realistic method of causing spammers pain that we have right now, short of changing the way mail works in a fundamental manner.

I'll definately be implimenting teergrubing/tarpitting. I might even impliment it on the multi-user hosting system that I helped to build. It probably wouldn't scale too well on a busy site though ;)

I'm going back to splinter cell.

Re:Bouncing?

[lost_packet]

send your thanks to Apple and OS X

Mac OS X mail

Yes, Mac OS X Mail can help you deliver a staggering blow to spammers. Simply pull down the Mail menu, choose Junk Mail, and select Automatic. The next time you receive email, Mail will move suspect email into a Junk folder. With that done, you're ready to deliver a real knockout punch to spammers by taking advantage of yet another potent spam-fighting weapon: 1. Click on the Junk folder. 2. Type Command-a to select all of the email in the Junk folder. 3. Choose "Bounce to Sender" from the Message menu. Mail will return the selected messages to the senders marked "User unknown," making them think your email address invalid, encouraging them to drop you from their lists, and, thus, eliminating spam at its source

that's from the Feb 6 2003 issue of Apple eNews