Re: SMTP relay problem

[Andy Poling <andy@realbig.com>]

> I don't understand why this is not a problem.  The trouble is that 
> the script at mail-abuse.org checks it and marks a mailer which 
> accepts it as an open relay.   From there, it reaches the MAPS RSS 
> and mail stops getting delivered to other sites.
> 
> On that basis, I could register nic.funet.fi as an open relay and it 
> will be marked as an open relay because it does not reject their test.

That is a broken test.  Unless the mail actually gets delivered to the target
address, the server in question is not actually an "open relay".

Bouncing the mail back later is a perfectly acceptable way of handling a
bogus recipient address.

These self-proclaimed testers who want instant gratification (i.e. errors
during the initial SMTP conversation) are trying to force us to process mail
in a *very* inefficient sendmail-monoblock fashion...

-Andy