can only send and receive emails if -r relays.ordb.org removed from /qmail-smptd/run

Hi,

I am having a strange problem..I have qmail+vpopmail up and running
fine on a Redhat Linux9 machine..But recently i supected we were
getting spammed. So i wanted to add -r relays.ordb.org line to
/var/qmail/supervise/qmail-smptd/run, i am not able to end/receive
mails from other domains. i can send emails to the same domain, it
works fine..

If i remove it, it works alright..

but i want this added in...

Also what are the best methods to prevent spam and make sure i am not
acting as an open relay?

Thanks,
Ann

/var/qmail/supervise/qmail-smptd/run file

#!/bin/sh

QMAILDUID=`id -u qmaild`
NOFILESGID=`id -g qmaild`
MAXSMTPD=`cat /var/qmail/control/concurrencyincoming`
LOCAL=`head -1 /var/qmail/control/me`

if [ -z "$QMAILDUID" -o -z "$NOFILESGID" -o -z "$MAXSMTPD" -o -z
"$LOCAL" ]; then
echo QMAILDUID, NOFILESGID, MAXSMTPD, or LOCAL is unset in
echo /var/qmail/supervise/qmail-smtpd/run
exit 1
fi

if [ ! -f /var/qmail/control/rcpthosts ]; then
echo "No /var/qmail/control/rcpthosts!"
echo "Refusing to start SMTP listener because it'll create an open
relay"
exit 1
fi

exec /usr/local/bin/softlimit -m 110000000 \
/usr/local/bin/tcpserver -v -R -l "$LOCAL" -x /etc/tcp.smtp.cdb -c
"$MAXSMTPD" \
-u "$QMAILDUID" -g "$NOFILESGID" 0 smtp -r relays.ordb.org
/var/qmail/bin/qmail-smtpd 2>&1

>
> Also what are the best methods to prevent spam and make sure i am not
> acting as an open relay?

Prevent spam: no 100% solution AFAIK.
Use rbls ( xbl.spamhaus and njabl are fine )
and try spamassassin if you have the time to check its work ( check
false positives, train bayes database etc.. )

Open relay: check your /etc/tcp.smtp and virtualdomains and rcpthosts files
Make certain you don't have open proxies on you network ( apache for
example, etc)
Prevent qmail to bounce: take care you do not bounce in your
..qmail-default files ( vpopmail generates bounces by default )

Add this in your file:
---------
# rebuild smtp rules
[ -r /etc/tcp.smtp ] && tcprules $CDB
/var/service/qmail-smtpd/tcp.smtp.tmp < /etc/tcp.smtp

To make certain to have up-to-date rules before launching qmail-smtpd
----

>
> exec /usr/local/bin/softlimit -m 110000000 \
> /usr/local/bin/tcpserver -v -R -l "$LOCAL" -x /etc/tcp.smtp.cdb -c
> "$MAXSMTPD" \
> -u "$QMAILDUID" -g "$NOFILESGID" 0 smtp -r relays.ordb.org
> /var/qmail/bin/qmail-smtpd 2>&1

the -r options applies to rblsmtpd

Change your command to:
COMMAND="/usr/local/bin/recordio rblsmtpd -b -r combined.njabl.org -r
xbl.spamhaus.org qmail-smtpd"

recordio is useful to have a logging of rbl blocking
modify your
qmail-smtpd/log/run files with this:
exec setuidgid $LOGUSER multilog t $FILENO $FILESIZE '-* * > *' '-* *
< *' '+* * > 5*' '+* * > 4*' ./main
( last line )
So that you see the 553 errors generated by rblsmtpd

Ann wrote:

> Also what are the best methods to prevent spam and make sure i am not
> acting as an open relay?

I don't know much of anything about qmail, so I can't help on the parts
specific to it, but to check if you're acting as an open relay, you can go
to:

http://www.abuse.net/relay.html

and use their testing service.

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