Off Topic, But List Related -- Tired of Getting Spammed Via The Python List?

[Sjoerd Mullender]

Did you actually send messages to the list using that
Python-list-specific email address?

If so, the explanation is pretty simple: The python-list is forwarded
to Usenet, and I'm sure there are people who harvest email addresses
from Usenet.

Other than stopping to forward (which is not an option, by the way),
there isn't much we can do about this particular problem.

Mailman does use some filters to recognize spam, but it's far from
fool proof.  I guess more could be done, but I have no access to nor
much knowledge of the internals of the software, so I can't do
anything more.

On Sat, May 25 2002 "Peter F. Ferris" wrote:

> Good Morning, Good Afternoon and Good Evening,
> 
> I'm not sure if this is happening to everyone or just myself, but for the
> 4th time in approximately two-three weeks (since I've joined the Python.org
> list), I been spammed because I'm a list member.
> 
> I've noticed in at least one instance my raw e-mail address appeared in the
> 'attribution' line of the posted reply, i.e.:  "In a message dated xx/xx/xx
> someone at somewhere.com  wrote:
> >blah
> >blah
> >  etc."
> 
> How do I know that the spam I'm receiving is coming from the Python.org
> list?  Simple, I subscribed with a specific e-mail address that has been
> used EXCLUSIVELY on & for this list.  It has not been used for any other
> public or private appearances.  Yet within a week or two I'm collecting an
> unusually high amount of spam (considering time on list, etc.) sent to the
> 'python only' address.
> 
> I would like to think no one in the group is a spammer (I may be naive at
> times!). Perhaps a spammer has subscribed to the list merely to harvest
> these sorts of errors.  Whatever the reason, I have a couple of suggestions
> that I believe can help minimize spam.  Even if only a few readers are being
> spammed, steps could and SHOULD (IMHO) be taken to minimize or PREVENT it.
> 
> I'm not extremely familiar with Gnu's "Mailman", so I don't know how
> security aware it is currently configured in our case specifically, and what
> it's capable of in general.  Maybe there are some easy tweaks that can be
> done to enhance what's available for this list.
> 
> Also, I subscribe to several other lists, some are served by systems we
> probably wouldn't care for (due to embedded advertising/HTML, etc.) such as
> Yahoo, etc.
> 
> However, Majordomo seems to do an above average job.  In one digest I
> subscribe to, I've been spammed less than 5 times in as many years.  Not bad
> at all, in my opinion.
> 
> However, another list manager package that strikes me as extremely secure
> AND user friendly (easy to subscribe/suspend/quit/add/drop sub-groups, etc.)
> is Shibboleth.  One list I've subscribed to for around 3 years or so and has
> *NEVER* been hacked, compromised, spammed, etc. that I am aware of. In part
> no doubt due to the integrity & self-policing of the users, but in a LARGE
> part due to the integrity of the list-ware (Shibboleth).  I have no
> 'interest' in Shibboleth, other than I believe it to be an extremely secure
> list manager. It seems to genuinely meet or exceed all advertised
> specifications as far as I am concerned.  It's at least worth a look if
> anyone is looking for a secure mail list manager.
> 
> Learn more about Majordomo at: http://www.greatcircle.com/majordomo/
> Learn more about Shibboleth at: http://sourceforge.net/projects/shibboleth/
> Read a Shibboleth White Paper at: http://www.interhack.net/pubs/shibboleth/
> 
> Just eager to minimize the spam via this list...
> 
> Many folks here have helped me with their code suggestions, etc.  This is
> perhaps one way I can return the favor. :-)
> 
> Ok, I've got my asbestos tuxedo on, flame away! ;-)
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> --Pete
> 
> 
> 
> 

-- Sjoerd Mullender <sjoerd at acm.org>