Re: Is Free Speech Spam? (The truth about ORBS)

From: Michael Martinez <Michael_at_xenite.org>
Date: Wed 06 Dec 2000 14:13:51 -0500

BRAD JENSEN <brad_at_elstore.com> WROTE:
> Some of the new email servers rely on
> ORBS lists (and thier sysadmins may not even know this)
> so overnight, without warning, a significant percentage
> of our email traffice was rejected.

TO WHICH JIM REARDON <jim_at_amusive.com> REPLIED:
> This is a lie. Not a single mail server ships out of
> the box relying on the ORBS database. A sysadmin must
> go through some trouble to enable ORBS blocking on any
> mailserver.
>
> ORBS sends out many, many warnings before placing you
> on a public list and also allows you a set time period
> (30 or 45 days, I believe) to fix the problem.
>
> We are well aware of your pro-spamming beliefs, but
> don't post your lies and propaganda to this list.
> People on ORBS deserve to be on the ORBS list and are
> well aware that they will be placed on the ORBS list.
> People who block ORBS servers block ORBS servers for a
> reason.

Here is a reality check about "lies and propaganda" and
who "deserves to be on the ORBS list". I just got
this back from my Web-hosting ISP, who had to get the
info from their upstream provider about why ORBS
subscribers are blocking email from my domain (people
who are personally subscribed to my mailing lists
through their own servers):

   Dear Michael,

   We have just received an answer from our upstream
   providers; as you may know, ORBS searches the
   internet for "open relays" by sending probes into
   other networks. The sending of such probes is in
   violation of AboveNet's Acceptable Use Policies and
   Anti-Spam Guidelines (AboveNet is one of our connectivity
   providers). However, despite AboveNet's requests, ORBS
   has refused to stop sending such probes. As a result,
   AboveNet has blocked all traffic between ORBS and
   AboveNet. In return ORBS has blocked all IPs connected
   to AboveNet in their database. I hope that this explains
   the unfortunate circumstance. I regret we do not have
   neither a quick fix nor an ETA for the long-term
   solution of this problem.


So, basically, ORBS is using invasive and highly
suspicious techniques to determine where the open
relays are, and they are high-handedly punishing
systems which don't cooperate with their abusive and
bullying tactics.

The ORBS database therefore cannot be trusted because
it's advising subscriber systems to block more than
just open relays. People on this list whose system
administrators have adopted the ORBS database as a spam
protection should bring this information to their
sysadmins' attention.

ORBS is being political. You can't do that if you're
going to offer a third-party service for the benefit
of everyone.

OH, and by the way, here is what ORBS says about who is
set up to check their database at
http://www.orbs.org/usingindex.html :

Many packages already have hooks built in to check this
sort of database, since it works the same way as the
MAPS RBL.

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Received on Wed Dec 06 2000 - 13:13:51 CST