[OT] Handling Returned Virus Mail

[Sarah Reichelt]

> Sorry to put this OT subject on the list but I'm hoping to solicit some of
> the more knowledgeable minds out there...
>
> Over the last week I've been inundated (yet again) with a tidal wave of
> bounced virus email messages.  Of course I did not initiate any of the
> original messages -- I'm receiving the bounced attempts and server notices
> as a result of virus propagation.
>
> My ISP has spam filters and virus blocking which is fine for general
> incoming email, and I use client-side filters as well, but the problem is
> having to deal with messages that are being returned to me because viruses
> messages are spoofing my domain.
>
> I've written about 2 dozen rules on my end (Entourage) to weed out the bogus
> email but with a recent outbreak I've received almost 7,000 messages in just
> the last week.  These bounced messages are clogging my server and I need to
> stay on email duty daily to clear them out.
>

Hi Scott,

While I haven't experienced this at your level (yet), I have
encountered it. The key seems to be filtering on the addressee. Emails
to you are addressed to you specifically and presumably others in your
organisation are the same. In my experience, these returned spam
emails are addresses to unknown people at your domain. If you have
filters that trash or re-direct anything that isn't going to a known
email address, then you will probably catch most of these.

And I can't resist this one from Xavier:

> And I thought mac users were not affected by window viruses ;)

Last week you took a virus warning to be an attack on Windows users,
now you seem to be trying to stir up the same debate that you
condemned then.

To answer your question: yes, Mac users are immune to all current
viruses and worms. Their programming does not work on a Mac, so they
have not effect when they are received. However someone spoofing a
domain name is entirely different. Scott is not getting the virus, he
is getting the bounces from the virus or spam not being delivered when
it apparently came from his domain. And spam is unfortunately
cross-platform.

Sarah