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Browse All TopicsIm using Small Business Server for exchange 2003 mail management.
Periodocially i find that my server is being used to relay messages by spammers.
Is there a consise checklist of security steps i should follow?
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by: SembeePosted on 2007-03-25 at 08:56:22ID: 18788341
Exchange 2003 is relay secure out of the box, so something has been changed.
ange/filte r-unknown. asp
ange/smtp- relaysecur e.asp
ange/smtp- openrelay. asp
There are three main ways that an Exchange server can be abused...
- configuration error on the SMTP virtual server or SMTP Connector turns the machine in to an open relay
- authenticated relaying - where the administrator password has been compromised and is being used to allow messages to be sent through the server.
- NDR spam - this is where messages are sent to your server with invalid email addresses on purpose. Your server then tries to bounce them back to the "sender" - who is spoofed and is the real target.
For NDR spam you should deploy recipient filtering and the tarpit.
http://www.amset.info/exch
For authenticated user relaying, you need to look at changing the settings.
http://www.amset.info/exch
Finally, for checking whether the machine is an open relay, see my article here:
http://www.amset.info/exch
Simon.