Subject: Re: forced to use ISP's MTA
gaijin@gci.net
Date: Mon Jun 16 2003 - 23:46:41 AKDT
On Mon, 16 Jun 2003, Damien Hull wrote:
>
> After about an hour of trying to send email I have figured out that I
> need to use my ISP's MTA to send email. For some reason my ISP has
> decided that they don't want people connecting to MTA's on the net.
>
> SMTP traffic is not allowed outside my ISP.
>
> My guess is that my ISP thinks we users might cause trouble by
> connecting to MTA's we shouldn't be connecting to (relaying spam). This
> is a nice idea and it may even cut down on the amount of spam we have on
> the net.
>
> How ever, I don't like it. What this means is that my ISP has control
> over my email. If they want to they can read my mail or do what ever
> they want with it.
>
> I probably don't have anything to worry about but I would like to send
> my mail through an SMTP server of my choosing.
</lurk>
Sorry to fuel the fires of annoyance, but it's likely only going to get
worse.
UBE is one reason - but hardly the only one. The self replicating virii
continue to run amok, mostly due to people running clients without proper
or up-to-date virus protection. There are the curious ignorant who setup
their Shiny! (TM) new copy of server operating system $X, with mail
services enabled to relay by default, the malicious scum who buy throwaway
dialup accounts to send out their spam, and more recently the next
generation of malware that creates a spam-bot network of infected clients
just waiting to do master's nefarious bidding.
If you are worried about people reading your mail, encryption software is
available. There are drawbacks: configuration can be a pain in the ass,
you have to get people you communicate with to use it, and it lends itself
to eliminating "plausable deniability".
Here's a thought - Linux supports GRE tunnels. I've not played with 'em
before, but one would imagine the potential exists for finding someone
willing to relay mail for you over a tunnel...
It doesn't eliminate the fact that someone would be able to view your
mail in transit, but, at least you would be able to choose someone you
trust.
<lurk>
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2a23 : Mon Jun 16 2003 - 23:46:44 AKDT