Re: [exim] Exim 4.72: preventing backscatter

On Thu, Aug 28, 2014 at 12:43 PM, Klaus Ethgen <Klaus+exim@???> wrote:

> Don't, never ever, accept mails to not existing users and don't accept
> mails to existing users where you want to prevent them from receiving it
> for any policy reason (like spamchecking or virus checking). If you take
> the mails you are legally responsible to deliver them; independent if
> you are able or not.
>

You're misrepresenting reality here. You are not _legally_ responsible to
deliver e-mail.

Well, perhaps you _are_ legally responsible in Switzerland, I won't claim
that you aren't, but that's not common in other jurisdictions I'm familiar
with.

Perhaps you're somewhat _morally_ responsible, from a certain point of view.

Typical scenarios where backscatter may result are:

- you're running a mailing list server, accept the incoming mail, and then
try to deliver it to the list members
- you're running a forwarding mail server, e.g. you permit customers to
have their custom domainname's e-mail service hosted with you, and forward
their messages to Google, Microsoft, Apple, Yahoo accounts, or whatever
- you're running a smarthost for other services, e.g. automated equipment
such as scanners, surveillance/web cameras, alarm systems, etc.
- you're running a smarthost for e.g. web servers

While you appear to think that these services shouldn't exist, it would be
a very sad day for you when you no longer could participate in exim-users
due to them implementing the policy you want and claim is legally
compulsory.
--
Jan