Blocking Spam - The spammers File

As a Solution to the Internet Spam Problem, we have created an easy and straightforward way to block E-Mail to a Virtual Private Server from specific E-Mail addresses and domain names.

Each Virtual Private Server has a ~/etc/spammers file which contains something like the following.

#
# Simply add the hostnames or email addresses on their own lines below
# that you don't want to receive email from
# (lines, like this one, starting with "#" are comments; comments are good)
# Examples:
# cyberpromo.com  (blocks all mail from the hostname "cyberpromo.com")
# spammer@aol.com (blocks mail only from "spammer@aol.com")
#
# Sources for lists of common rogue spammers and spam sites:
#  http://www.idot.aol.com/preferredmail/  for AOL's blacklist
#  http://www.vix.com/spam/rogues.html for Vixie's blacklist
#  http://www-math.uni-paderborn.de/%7Eaxel/BL/ for Blacklist of Advertisers
#
# Promote Responsible Net Commerce: Help Stamp Out Spam!
#   See http://www.vix.com/spam/ for more information
#
spammer@aol.com
cyberpromo.com

Lines that begin with # are comments. Other lines contain e-mail addresses or domain names that are blocked. If the server is configured as above, all E-Mail with spammer@aol.com or cyberpromo.com in the "From:" line of the header is blocked.

Usage

You can configure E-Mail blocking during a Telnet/SSH session with your server. Connect to your Virtual Private Server via Telnet or SSH and do the following.

1. Add the E-Mail addresses or domain names you wish to bock to the ~/etc/spammers file. You can do this by either downloading the file to your PC, and then uploading the file after making the additions, or using a text editor, like pico, while connected to your Virtual Private Server.

2. Run the vnewspammers command:

   % vnewspammers