Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 18:28:02 -0500 (CDT) From: James Wyatt <jwyatt@rwsystems.net> To: InvictaNet Customer Support <support@invictanet.co.uk> Cc: Freebsd-ISP <freebsd-isp@FreeBSD.ORG> Subject: RE: Stopping User unknown messages Message-ID: <Pine.BSF.4.10.10008231808370.65686-100000@bsdie.rwsystems.net> In-Reply-To: <NDBBKODAOKAJLGIOGBIAGEIECNAA.support@invictanet.co.uk>
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On Tue, 22 Aug 2000, InvictaNet Customer Support wrote: > On Tue, 22 Aug 2000, Ernie Elu wrote: > > Does anyone know of a sendmail directive to stop the postmasters > > mail box filling up with "User unknown" messages? > > > > This occurs from typos, deleted users, and most of all spam programs > > trying random user names. > > > > I have just taken over the postmasters job and my mailbox is full of > > garbage that requires no follow up every hour. > > Pardon me for seeming stupid, but isn't that exactly what the postmaster > user is for? > > RFC 822 > > 6.3. Reserved Address > > It often is necessary to send mail to a site, without know- > ing any of its valid addresses. For example, there may be mail > system dysfunctions, or a user may wish to find out a person's > correct address, at that site. [ we've seen the rest. ] I don't see where the RFC states the postmaster *has* to receive *bounce* messages. It says someone has to receive 'postmaster' messages so you can ask the postmaster directly. I hope that postmaster@hotmail.com doesn't get all bounce messages from malformed recipients! There is a great option in SMail config called 'error_copy_postmaster' that controls this behaviour. I'm sure there is some switch in sendmail that can do the same. Bounce messages can contain sensitive material that, as postbastard, I don't care to read. The 'mailer-daemon' reply is sent back to the original sender so they can see their typo or contact the postmaster. I am *amazed* at the confidential personal or corporate information folks will send with no pre-check on the receiver address(es) whatsoever, let alone fixing it to a short alias so typos ara minimized! I've been postmaster for over 10 years for various large (Tandy, Burlington Northern Railway, etc...) and small companies and would have been completely deluged if I'd received bounce messages for them all! Hope this explains my interpretation of the RFC a bit - Jy@ To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-isp" in the body of the message
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