If tech gurus out there can create better solutions for this scenario, please share with us and our admin.
The problem: JimmyTruth/J/Jay/Ramon signs up for numerous random servers upload follows.csv on each from usernames stripped from disabled and MutualAid hashtags. Also targets disabled server admins with harmful direct messages.
Banning IP address only stop sign-ups on our server. We suspend Jimmy's other random server accts once we know of them.
This is cool graphic by Imke Senst and Mike Kuketz, illustrating the fediverse and 19 of the software packages used in it. With coloured lines showing which ones can federate with each other, over which protocols;
https://opennomad.net/cloud/nomad/Diagrams/fediverse-diagram.png
This is a really well written essay by @trwnh;
https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/issues/10590
It proposes reducing the amount of spam injected into the fediverse, by making manual mod approval of new accounts the default in all fediverse server software.
I thoroughly agree. Admins woulds still be free to use open registration, but they'd have to opt-in to the potential consequences. Not stumble into them.
This was written in 2019. Is manual approval of new accounts the default yet?
Coming back to the original topic, can we emulate the decentralisation of ATProto Relays in the field of mass email sending? So self/community-hosted Ghost instances don't need to pay protection money to get emails delivered to subscribers who've opted in to receiving them.
I'm thinking of an automated system where Bob clicks the link in a subscription verification email, and that sends a token to the email host approving mail from the address that will send newsletters.
(7/7)
There have been various proposals for imposing a cost on sending email, to reduce the temptation to spam;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cost-based_anti-spam_systems
I think imposing monetary cost is the wrong approach. But what about a system where verifying your email with a newsletter or mailing list issues their server a unique stamp? Which it can use as proof that you want email from them delivered.
Just thinking out loud here. Anyone have any ideas about implementing this?
Stefano Marinelli
boosted
Oh, the number of bsdly imaginary friends just rolled past 6 million, https://nxdomain.no/~peter/traplist.shtml (background https://nxdomain.no/~peter/eighteen_years_of_greytrapping.html or tracked https://bsdly.blogspot.com/2025/08/eighteen-years-of-greytrapping-is.html), may update graphs at month end #openbsd #spamd #greytrapping #antispam #cybercrime #nastykidsister
Oh, the number of bsdly imaginary friends just rolled past 6 million, https://nxdomain.no/~peter/traplist.shtml (background https://nxdomain.no/~peter/eighteen_years_of_greytrapping.html or tracked https://bsdly.blogspot.com/2025/08/eighteen-years-of-greytrapping-is.html), may update graphs at month end #openbsd #spamd #greytrapping #antispam #cybercrime #nastykidsister
Stefano Marinelli
boosted
It's heartwarming to a greying geek that a 5000+ words retrospective on greytrapping is turning out to be popular - https://nxdomain.no/~peter/eighteen_years_of_greytrapping.html (tracked https://bsdly.blogspot.com/2025/08/eighteen-years-of-greytrapping-is.html)
#greytrapping #spam #antispam #greylisting #blocklist #openbsd #freebsd #smtp #email #ssh #passwords #passwordguessing #pop3 #security #networking #cybercrime
It's heartwarming to a greying geek that a 5000+ words retrospective on greytrapping is turning out to be popular - https://nxdomain.no/~peter/eighteen_years_of_greytrapping.html (tracked https://bsdly.blogspot.com/2025/08/eighteen-years-of-greytrapping-is.html)
#greytrapping #spam #antispam #greylisting #blocklist #openbsd #freebsd #smtp #email #ssh #passwords #passwordguessing #pop3 #security #networking #cybercrime
Stefano Marinelli
boosted
Friends, it finally happened. On August 7th, 2025, the number of spamtraps intended to fool spammers rolled past the number of inhabitants in my home country of Norway. It's time for a retrospective.
Eighteen Years of Greytrapping - Is the Weirdness Finally Paying Off? https://nxdomain.no/~peter/eighteen_years_of_greytrapping.html (tracked https://bsdly.blogspot.com/2025/08/eighteen-years-of-greytrapping-is.html)
#greytrapping #spam #antispam #greylisting #blocklist #openbsd #freebsd #smtp #email #ssh #passwords #passwordguessing #pop3 #security #networking #cybercrime
Friends, it finally happened. On August 7th, 2025, the number of spamtraps intended to fool spammers rolled past the number of inhabitants in my home country of Norway. It's time for a retrospective.
Eighteen Years of Greytrapping - Is the Weirdness Finally Paying Off? https://nxdomain.no/~peter/eighteen_years_of_greytrapping.html (tracked https://bsdly.blogspot.com/2025/08/eighteen-years-of-greytrapping-is.html)
#greytrapping #spam #antispam #greylisting #blocklist #openbsd #freebsd #smtp #email #ssh #passwords #passwordguessing #pop3 #security #networking #cybercrime
Stefano Marinelli
boosted
Friends, it finally happened. On August 7th, 2025, the number of spamtraps intended to woo the unwary spammer rolled past the number of inhabitants in my home country of Norway. It's time for a retrospective.
Eighteen Years of Greytrapping - Is the Weirdness Finally Paying Off? https://nxdomain.no/~peter/eighteen_years_of_greytrapping.html (tracked https://bsdly.blogspot.com/2025/08/eighteen-years-of-greytrapping-is.html)
#greytrapping #spam #antispam #greylisting #blocklist #openbsd #freebsd #smtp #email #ssh #passwords #passwordguessing #pop3 #security #networking #cybercrime
Friends, it finally happened. On August 7th, 2025, the number of spamtraps intended to woo the unwary spammer rolled past the number of inhabitants in my home country of Norway. It's time for a retrospective.
Eighteen Years of Greytrapping - Is the Weirdness Finally Paying Off? https://nxdomain.no/~peter/eighteen_years_of_greytrapping.html (tracked https://bsdly.blogspot.com/2025/08/eighteen-years-of-greytrapping-is.html)
#greytrapping #spam #antispam #greylisting #blocklist #openbsd #freebsd #smtp #email #ssh #passwords #passwordguessing #pop3 #security #networking #cybercrime
Stefano Marinelli
boosted
Eighteen Years of Greytrapping - Is the Weirdness Finally Paying Off? https://nxdomain.no/~peter/eighteen_years_of_greytrapping.html (tracked https://bsdly.blogspot.com/2025/08/eighteen-years-of-greytrapping-is.html)
Friends, it finally happened. On August 7th, 2025, the number of spamtraps intended to woo the unwary spammer rolled past the number of inhabitants in my home country of Norway.
It's time for a retrospective.
#greytrapping #spam #antispam #greylisting #blocklist #openbsd #freebsd #smtp #email #ssh #passwords #passwordguessing #pop3 #security #networking #cybercrime
Eighteen Years of Greytrapping - Is the Weirdness Finally Paying Off? https://nxdomain.no/~peter/eighteen_years_of_greytrapping.html (tracked https://bsdly.blogspot.com/2025/08/eighteen-years-of-greytrapping-is.html)
Friends, it finally happened. On August 7th, 2025, the number of spamtraps intended to woo the unwary spammer rolled past the number of inhabitants in my home country of Norway.
It's time for a retrospective.
#greytrapping #spam #antispam #greylisting #blocklist #openbsd #freebsd #smtp #email #ssh #passwords #passwordguessing #pop3 #security #networking #cybercrime
Stefano Marinelli
boosted
In 2013 I wrote up "Maintaining A Publicly Available Blacklist - Mechanisms And Principles" (also https://bsdly.blogspot.com/2013/04/maintaining-publicly-available.html) . TL;DR: blocklisting is a kind of public shaming, be sure your process is verifiable and transparent.
Minor edits today, links to resources and #eurobsdcon inside. #blocklists #spamtraps #antispam #smtp #spamd #openbsd #freebsd #security #cybercrime
In 2013 I wrote up "Maintaining A Publicly Available Blacklist - Mechanisms And Principles" (also https://bsdly.blogspot.com/2013/04/maintaining-publicly-available.html) . TL;DR: blocklisting is a kind of public shaming, be sure your process is verifiable and transparent.
Minor edits today, links to resources and #eurobsdcon inside. #blocklists #spamtraps #antispam #smtp #spamd #openbsd #freebsd #security #cybercrime
Stefano Marinelli
and 1 other
boosted
The BIG MAIL operators disappear valid mail. We have all seen it happen.
I am pondering starting a campaign to collect war stories with as much log data and other relevant data as possible in order to write an article which may
evolve to something else.
If you have potentially useful input, I want to hear from you.
#mail #smtp #bigmail #runyourown #antispam #spam #disappearingmail #smallmail
The BIG MAIL operators disappear valid mail. We have all seen it happen.
I am pondering starting a campaign to collect war stories with as much log data and other relevant data as possible in order to write an article which may
evolve to something else.
If you have potentially useful input, I want to hear from you.
#mail #smtp #bigmail #runyourown #antispam #spam #disappearingmail #smallmail
Stefano Marinelli
boosted
Following up on previous, the LinkedIn discussion revealed that there are people who have not heard about greylisting.
So here is my 2012 piece with updates, "In The Name Of Sane Email: Setting Up OpenBSD's spamd(8) With Secondary MXes In Play - A Full Recipe" https://nxdomain.no/~peter/in_the_name_of_sane_email.html
#spamd #antispam #spamd.conf #OpenBSD #blocklists #blacklists #greytrapping #greylisting #spam