Re: [EXIM] DynamicIP Spam Sources List (DSSL)

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Author: Exim Mailing List Subscriber
Date:  
To: Greg A. Woods
CC: Exim Users Mailing List
Subject: Re: [EXIM] DynamicIP Spam Sources List (DSSL)

In message <m10bSgJ-000g5eC@???>,
woods@??? (Greg A. Woods) wrote:

>[ On Saturday, April 24, 1999 at 18:34:13 (-0400), Exim Mailing List Subscribe
>r wrote: ]
>> Subject: [EXIM] DynamicIP Spam Sources List (DSSL)
>>
>>
>> First, I wish it to be known that the world's most comprehensive and most
>> well maintained list of dynamic dialups is located here on imrss.org, and
>> you can find out more about it by visiting http://www.imrss.org/dssl/.
>
>So, what's the difference between your list and the MAPS DUL?


The MAPS DUL arose, indirectly, out of some much earlier work that I did
on the general idea of tracking and creating a list of dialup banks for
use in excluding direct-from-dialup spams.

I devloped that list (of dialup address ranges) initially, then gave it
over for maintenance to a fellow named who goes by the name of Afterburner
(who is the main abuse desk person at Erols Internet, one of the largest
providers in the USA), and he in turn later gave it over to some bloke in
Canada, who also decided that he didn't have time to properly maintain it
and then give it to the MAPS people.

Meanwhile, I was developing a much better and more easily maintainable
approach to the problem... one based primarily on the obvious patterns
see in the reverse DNS names of various dynamic dialup spam sources.
The results of this more advanced work because the DSSL.

The DSSL is dramatically more comprehensive (in terms of number of lines
and/or providers covered) than the MAPS DUL. It is just a better resource.

>You don't
>mention the other list either in your exim-users posting, or on your web
>page so far as I can see'...


Why would we? Our goal is to stop as much spam as possible. The better
way to do that is to use the DSSL, rather than the MAPS DUL.

>... and I don't see any mention of your list on
>their web pages. Why is this?


You will have to ask the MAPS DUL people why they haven't seen fit to pro-
vide a link from their web pages to the DSSL home page. I can't speak for
them.

>You make some grand claims about how good your list is.


Not that grand really. We just claim that we have the most comprehensive
lists of dynamic dialups available. With only two such lists in existance,
that ain't necessary saying much.

>Why a separate list?


See above.

The MAPS DUL represents an attempt to continue to maintain my own ``first
generation'' effort at constructing this sort of a list. I frankly don't
know why they are still doing it. My own work has long since moved on
to the second generation list, which is the DSSL.

>Why is yours better maintained?


I add new patterns from my enormous spam traps every night. How often do
the MAPS DUL people make changes and/or enhancements to *their* list?

One the rare occasions when erroneous entries have been reported in the
DSSL, I have also removed those within 8 hours in all cases. Are the
MAPS DUL people as responsible in removing _their_ false positive entries?

>How's the ordinary user to choose between them...


If possible, try programming your mail server to check both lists, and have
it logs hits against each list. Do this for two week, then count the
number of hits you got from each of the two lists. I'm confident that
you will see more through spam stopping when consulting the DSSL list.

>... or do we just query both and hope the added traffic
>and delays don't cause us or anyone else any problems?


Now forever, no. Try it for one week, or for two weeks, and then pick
whichever list gives you the most spam blockage.

>Also, why is it that everything to do with imrss.org is so *totally*
>anonymous? Who are you guys? Why are you hiding behind "role"
>accounts?


Sorry. Force of habit. We get cranks threatening to sue us from time to
time, and the role accounts just make it a little bit easier to convince
them to just give up, go away, and annoy somebody else.

My name is Ron Guilmette, and I am a well know contributor to, and denizen
of the spamtools mailing list, among others.

>Are you accountable?


Oh yea! And how.

Use the DSSL for two weeks. If you don't like it then I'll personally give
you a full refund plus ten percent. Howz that sound?

P.S. Please define ``accountable''. Is Paul Vixie ``accountable''? What
are you going to do to him if he messes up? Not like him?


-- rfg


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