Auburn University Fights War Against SPAM Email

["Administrator Account" <account@mail.auburn.edu>]

Auburn University is under attack! Our email systems are being inundated
with unsolicited messages, commonly referred to as SPAM, advertising
everything from low interest mortgage rates to prescription drugs. Much
of this SPAM email also advertises pornographic web sites. Many of you
have asked if these annoying messages can be blocked. The answer to this
question is that we can block some of it - over time, maybe even most of
it. But some of this SPAM email will continue to get through despite our
best efforts. 

We currently have several weapons in our arsenal in the war against
SPAM. First, we have always responded to complaints regarding SPAM email
originating from specific IP addresses by blocking all mail from that
address. In addition, we have sometimes blocked mail from entire mail
domains if SPAM email is originating from many addresses within that
site. However, blocking all mail from a mail domain where SPAM
originates is not always possible because it would also block the
legitimate mail. For example, we cannot block mail from AOL or Earthlink
just because a lot of SPAM originates there. However, we can and do
complain to the postmasters at these sites with varied results. When we
block mail in this fashion we do it at the mail forwarder and on
Mallard, the OIT UNIX-based mail system used by most students via the
Webmail client. 

Since much of the SPAM email is sent to our centrally managed mailing
lists, we have instituted procedures to password protect these lists
upon the request of the list owner(s). This feature requires the list
password to be included in the text of the message - the password is
stripped out before delivery of the message. If you are a list owner and
would like to password protect your mailing list, please contact Dave
Swanger ( swangdb@auburn.edu ) who manages the OIT mailing list servers.


Our most recent counter measure in the war on SPAM has been to install
the RBL+ anti-SPAM subscription service on the central mail forwarders
and on Mallard (Webmail). This service is updated daily as more SPAM
sites are added to the list. Any mail addressed to you at
userid@auburn.edu will be filtered using this service. If you are not
currently utilizing the mail forwarder email address and would like to
start, please contact the OIT Helpdesk ( helpdesk@auburn.edu ) for
additional information. 

If you are a Groupwise user, OIT has developed a Blacklist Button that
you can add to your tool bar. This feature allows you to develop
Groupwise rules to prevent subsequent SPAM messages in the event that
one slips through the RBL+ filter on the central mail forwarder. We are
also in the process of upgrading Guinevere (the anti-virus software that
protects Groupwise users from receiving infected files through their
email) to the latest release which includes a feature known as SPAM
Assassin. If you are already a Groupwise user and you are interested in
using the Blacklist button, or if you would like to become a Groupwise
user to take advantage of the many advanced features offered by this
email system, please contact the OIT Helpdesk ( helpdesk@auburn.edu )
for additional information. 

If you are a Webmail user and would like to help us evaluate a new
webmail client which also contains a personal blacklist feature then go
to http://imp.auburn.edu and let us know what you think by sending mail
to postmaster@auburn.edu . Regardless of which webmail client you use,
the Procmail filtering system on Mallard can also be used to set up
personal filtering rules to prevent recurring SPAM from showing up in
your INBOX. Refer to
http://www.auburn.edu/oit/software/email/procmail.html for
information on how to use procmail. 

The war against SPAM will be an extended struggle. Spammers are devious
and resourceful. We will continue to employ new and more powerful
weapons to combat them, and they will continue to develop new ways to
evade our filters and circumvent our countermeasures. There is a fine
line between blocking SPAM and blocking legitimate mail - we must
proceed with caution. As always, your patience and support are greatly
appreciated. 

Gene Stewart 
Director, OIT Network Services