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Solved
Exchange 2010 Backscatter problem
Posted on 2011-03-15
We are having an issue in Exchange 2010 that i believe is being caused by Backscatter. Recently I have noticed a bunch of messages in the Exchange Queue Viewer that keep trying to resend but are unable to connect. All of these messages are Non Delivery Reports for undeliverable spam email that was sent to our server.
Yesterday afternoon i tried enabling Recipient Validation in exchange. Since turning this feature on we have gone from over 60 messages trying to resend over and over to only 8 after enabling. This seems to have helped the situation, however i am still seeing messages trying to resend.
I found a few articles related to this issue that also recommended completely disabling NDR's all together, or adding another layer of spam detection. Is there any other recommended course of action to resolve this problem? Aside from valid NDR's not being sent, is there any other down side to disabling NDR's? Is there a rule in Exchange we can setup to drop off the NDR's that fail to connect after the first or second try?
Here is alittle background on our current anti-spam setup. Our first layer of anti-spam detection is our Sonicwall firewall which has RBL entries for spamhaus, dnsbl.sorbs, barracudacentral, & spamcop. For the second layer we are using Trend Micro Scan Mail for Exchange. This product doesn't seem to do a good job of cleaning any spam getting through the firewall. I am looking at alternatives as our subscription is up in a few months. Any recommendations on anti-spam products you are having success with are greatly appreciated.
For reference here is a sample of one of the messages currently trying to resend.
Identity: qualissrv01\57782\232009
Subject: Undeliverable: Loan offer at 3% Interest Rates!!
Internet Message ID: <b925383a-19d1-415d-a701-f
From Address: <>
Status: Ready
Size (KB): 6
Message Source Name: DSN
Source IP: 255.255.255.255
SCL: -1
Date Received: 3/14/2011 8:20:10 PM
Expiration Time: 3/16/2011 8:20:10 PM
Last Error: 450 4.1.1 <ocean@lbasantarem.com.br>
Queue ID: qualissrv01\57782
Recipients: ocean@lbasantarem.com.br
Thank you
Yesterday afternoon i tried enabling Recipient Validation in exchange. Since turning this feature on we have gone from over 60 messages trying to resend over and over to only 8 after enabling. This seems to have helped the situation, however i am still seeing messages trying to resend.
I found a few articles related to this issue that also recommended completely disabling NDR's all together, or adding another layer of spam detection. Is there any other recommended course of action to resolve this problem? Aside from valid NDR's not being sent, is there any other down side to disabling NDR's? Is there a rule in Exchange we can setup to drop off the NDR's that fail to connect after the first or second try?
Here is alittle background on our current anti-spam setup. Our first layer of anti-spam detection is our Sonicwall firewall which has RBL entries for spamhaus, dnsbl.sorbs, barracudacentral, & spamcop. For the second layer we are using Trend Micro Scan Mail for Exchange. This product doesn't seem to do a good job of cleaning any spam getting through the firewall. I am looking at alternatives as our subscription is up in a few months. Any recommendations on anti-spam products you are having success with are greatly appreciated.
For reference here is a sample of one of the messages currently trying to resend.
Identity: qualissrv01\57782\232009
Subject: Undeliverable: Loan offer at 3% Interest Rates!!
Internet Message ID: <b925383a-19d1-415d-a701-f
From Address: <>
Status: Ready
Size (KB): 6
Message Source Name: DSN
Source IP: 255.255.255.255
SCL: -1
Date Received: 3/14/2011 8:20:10 PM
Expiration Time: 3/16/2011 8:20:10 PM
Last Error: 450 4.1.1 <ocean@lbasantarem.com.br>
Queue ID: qualissrv01\57782
Recipients: ocean@lbasantarem.com.br
Thank you
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5 Comments
Active today
Okay - do you receive mail directly to your server or does a 3rd party filter your mail and pass it on to you?
If via a 3rd party - THEY have to Recipient Filter.
If you receive it directly, you need to install the Anti-Spam options and enable Recipient Filtering.
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Software/Server_Software/Email_Servers/Exchange/A_4257-Exchange-2007-2010-Backscatter-and-how-to-resolve-it.html
If via a 3rd party - THEY have to Recipient Filter.
If you receive it directly, you need to install the Anti-Spam options and enable Recipient Filtering.
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Software/Server_Software/Email_Servers/Exchange/A_4257-Exchange-2007-2010-Backscatter-and-how-to-resolve-it.html
We receive our mail directly. I turned on the Anti-Spam options and enabled the Recipient Filtering and that seems to have done the trick. Thanks for the help Alanhardisty.
Active today
You are welcome. Glad all is happy now. Make sure you get delisted fron Backscatterer.org (usually happens automatically after about 4 weeks).
Thanks for the points.
Alan
Thanks for the points.
Alan
Active 1 day ago
Thanks for this info. The same thing is happening at my office. I enabled the filtering and I'm still having this issue. is there something else that I can try? Any help would be appreciated. Not sure what else to try here. thanks in advance.
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