[Tutor] python.org mail server?

[Lloyd Kvam]

pan at uchicago.edu wrote:

> I hope to make it webbased, so I can use it both at home and 
> at work or even on travel. And sure, any pythonist can use it
> too. 
> 
> But I need to learn how this can be done. If I have some company
> host my website, I should be able to use their mail server on
> my webpage, right ?

That is correct.  When one mail server accepts email for delivery
to another mail server, it is relaying.  An ISP will normally
allow relaying only for connections from the ISP's block of
IP addresses.  Your script should have no trouble sending email.
An email server that will allow anyone to relay is an "open
relay" and will be discovered and abused by spammers.

The problem is that SPAMMERs WILL attempt to subvert your script.
I've seen many web logs where there are more hits from spammers
and would be crackers attempting to subvert the site, than from
legitimate web traffic.  My mail server log shows almost as
many spam attempts as real emails.

For instance, if your script is an accepted sender of email to
the tutor list, a spammer would be able to use it to spam us all.

An email script that ONLY allows email to a corporate customer
service office is not of much interest to a spammer.  However,
a script that provided access to a relatively spam free list
would be quite attractive.  Even worse is a script that supports
specifying the email recipient.  My ISP was victimized by spammers
when a client of the ISP naively installed a script that had
a parameter to specify the recipient email address.

-- 
Lloyd Kvam
Venix Corp.
1 Court Street, Suite 378
Lebanon, NH 03766-1358

voice:	603-443-6155
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