SMTP / Email firewall

[Norcross]

I've been running a small email server for a while, and I've seen that I've been getting a lot of spam. I assumed it was due to a faulty setup on my part, so I did a fresh install of the application on difference machine. I've got DNS blacklisting running, but it's still getting through. It appears as though a hardware firewall is needed.

Anyone have thoughts / experience on using any? Any open source apps out there?

 

[rampage537]

I have used Ipcop http://www.ipcop.org, easy to install, have mine running on a old dual P3 500mhz server, with 18gig of harddrive space. There is a addon called copfilter, that does virus, spam, content filtering among other things.
Greg

 

[scotty]

I've had some good success with a number of products.

The best success I've had overall is with MxLogic. Basically, you point your MX records to them, they handle all of the dirty laundry, and then deliver the mail to your server. You then set your firewall to only accept SMTP traffic from their IPs. The service is not free, it ranges from about $1 to $2.50 per user per month. There's a variety of misc. benefits though, like they will hold/spool your email should your server go down or be unavailable - that to me is almost worth the cost of the service alone. But when it comes to spam, they have as good protection as I've ever seen, lots of customization options, easy to use. I always look to them first.

I've used a number of the 'integrated' SPAM filtering solutions that are built into firewalls (Watchguard, Sonicwall) and they're usually pretty good. They dont always have a terribly detailed set of options of configuration though. They're usually all or nothing, and sometimes only tag the message, you you have to set up a filter in outlook.

Finally, I've had good success with Google Apps (Gmail for your domain). I've personally noticed Gmail's spam filtering is excellent. With Google apps (which is free), you dont have to use the web interface. You can set up POP or IMAP and be done with it. Considering the infrastructure behind it, and that it's free, it's a good option. If all you use it for is spam filtering, it still is worthwhile, IMO.

 

[Norcross]

Thanks for both of your responses. I may end up going the Google Apps route eventually, but I want to try my own way first (stubborn, if nothing else). The IPCop + Copfilter combo looks promising

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Having used several open source products in front of mail servers..
IPCop with the Copfilter add-in
Endian
Untangle

Endian is a polished product geared towards the business, built on top of IPCop with Copfilter...in an improved package.

Untangle is quite new, and VERY powerful...a very full featured UTM appliance. Can be run as your primary router or in transparent bridged mode. It's what I try to use lately with biz clients.

Check out the websites for both.

 

[Brandon]

I've had some good success with a number of products.

The best success I've had overall is with MxLogic. Basically, you point your MX records to them, they handle all of the dirty laundry, and then deliver the mail to your server. You then set your firewall to only accept SMTP traffic from their IPs. The service is not free, it ranges from about $1 to $2.50 per user per month. There's a variety of misc. benefits though, like they will hold/spool your email should your server go down or be unavailable - that to me is almost worth the cost of the service alone. But when it comes to spam, they have as good protection as I've ever seen, lots of customization options, easy to use. I always look to them first.

I've used a number of the 'integrated' SPAM filtering solutions that are built into firewalls (Watchguard, Sonicwall) and they're usually pretty good. They dont always have a terribly detailed set of options of configuration though. They're usually all or nothing, and sometimes only tag the message, you you have to set up a filter in outlook.

Finally, I've had good success with Google Apps (Gmail for your domain). I've personally noticed Gmail's spam filtering is excellent. With Google apps (which is free), you dont have to use the web interface. You can set up POP or IMAP and be done with it. Considering the infrastructure behind it, and that it's free, it's a good option. If all you use it for is spam filtering, it still is worthwhile, IMO.

First off, I use MxLogic at work, and LOVE it. Everything coming into our Exchange servers goes through them, and it works very well. You even recieve a once a day list of e-mails that it's blocked, allowing you to download anything that might have been blocked by accident. The filters are very user friendly, and the service is very easy to set up.

For my home, I use Gmail, and I love it as well. I never see spam, and I have yet to see it block anything I didn't want it to. On average, it blocks 20-30 e-mails a day that are all junk, while letting my 10-15 legit through. Add to that the IMAP support for my iPhone, and I'm as giddy as a schoolgirl.

As for your server, if you want a free solution, I would go with a spam filter, a firewall wouldn't solve your problem. I would suggest going with something like SpamAssassin, it's been around the block a time or two, so it works. It's also open source, so you have a lot of people working on it, modding it, making add ons and so on.

 

[Norcross]

thanks everyone. I ended up doing it in two parts. I installed pfSense on an old machine as a router / firewall for my servers (I've got 3 at the house), and then installed Ubuntu Server 8.10 as a new mailserver, with SpamAssassin and ClamAV as plug-ins

I attempted to go with IPCop, but for some reason the software wouldn't install. After an hour trying different mirrors, checking MD5's, I went with pfSense, since the machine itself was an older box.