Bugtraq mailing list archives

Re: SMTP server account probing


From: korn () SINARAN CSD CSAM COM MY (Jose C. Oon)
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 1999 09:18:25 +0800


.....snip.....
Unfortunately, the program was designed to defeat the "goaway" option by
using RCPT TO: commands instead of VRFY commands. What's needed is
the ability to kill the connection after more than two or three recipient
names have generated errors.

This is a good idea where a predetermined number of errors in RCPT
should warrant the sendmail process to abort and terminate. But on
the other side, it'll interrupt normal mail messages delivery, hence,
causing lots of retries. Default of 3-5 days.

I'd suggest to add some intended delays, for instance:
when there's a RCPT error, the attacked sendmail daemon will
delay say 30 seconds, before it accepts another RCPT TO or other command.
Of course eventually the sendmail will time out and drop the
connections when necessary.

--Joseph



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