Unplugging spamming PCs

Wed Jun 23 23:40:23 UTC 2004

Hi Peter,
I agree with you it's a hard problem to solve. But unless there is
mandatory cooperation within mail server software (which can be
monitored) to interface with a registry of acceptable/registered sites,
then this model could work. Is it perfect, no. And so far, I've not seen
any technology that will solve this problem. So I default and say it's a
problem that must be solved with agreements between countries that can
provide registries that all (valid) mail servers must register. Then at
least our spammer enforcement is dwindled down to those who go through
some sort of process, that can be validated physically, i.e. Address,
Company name, etc, etc... And then enforcement can be done only to those
who misbehave that are validated and authenticated.

Can you suggest another method that would have more accuracy? I think
it's ridiculous that every service on the internet is provided without
any authentication and integrity services, if we allowed anyone to call
from anywhere within the telephone network, you'd have rampant
falsification, which is what we have today.

LP

Best Regards,

Larry

Larry Pingree

"Visionary people, are visionary, partly because of the great many
things they never get to see." - Larry Pingree

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-nanog at merit.edu [mailto:owner-nanog at merit.edu] On Behalf Of
Peter Corlett
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2004 4:11 PM
To: nanog at nanog.org
Subject: Re: Unplugging spamming PCs

Larry Pingree <lpingree at juniper.net> wrote:
> Mail servers should be registered just like domains and shutdown by
> a registrar if they are misusing their registered services. This
> really needs to be handled by a multi-lateral legal solution,
> industry will not fix it alone.

Yes, that's just what we need. More unworkable legislation that
nobody'll bother to enforce in the intended manner anyway. It's not as
if many of the things one has to do to spam effectively isn't already
good for a few years behind bars, yet I don't exactly see prisons
bulging with spammers.

Let's suppose mail servers are registered like domains. What mechanism
is there going to be in place to shut down the mail server if it
starts misbehaving? Sending in the Marines?

And again, much of this comes down to enforcement. When was the last
time you heard of a spammer's domain being pulled? How about the last
time you saw a spammer be even remotely bothered by having their
domain pulled? Do you think they'll really care less about losing a
mail server when they've got another dozen lined up ready and waiting?

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