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From: adam mercado <adam@influxx.com>
Subject: Re: [AE] AE list bounce WARNING messages - a quick explanation
Date: Thu, 8 May 2014 09:09:45 -0700
To: "After Effects Mail List" <AE-List@media-motion.tv>

very interesting and informative, cheers

and by mail server does that mean a specific IP address?


Adam Mercado
Influxx Media Production
Fullerton, CA

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On May 8, 2014, at 5:11 AM, Chris Zwar wrote:

> There have been many emails over the past few weeks about the =20
> warning messages generated from bouncing list emails.  I thought =20
> I'd share some details I learned after having similar problems in =20
> the past.
>
> On 07/05/2014, at 10:04 PM, Paul Crisanti <paul_eboy@me.com> wrote:
>> Yeah wonder what triggered it? This is totally automated correct? =20
>> No breathers watching it?
>
> Unfortunately it's happened several times before, and if it's the =20
> same cause this time around then it's all to do with ISPs and =20
> SPAM.  It's not something that happens on a personal level and =20
> unfortunately it's not something that can be easily fixed by Rene.  =20=

> It is a symptom of a global problem- the problem being SPAM.
>
> When emails are sent around the internet, all ISPs are monitoring =20
> where they come from and how much SPAM comes from the same mail =20
> server.  What is not well known is that ISPs filter out most spam =20
> before emails get passed onto the end user.  For many years, SPAM =20
> has accounted for approximately 70% of all email traffic, and the =20
> only reason you see so little spam in your personal inbox is =20
> because most of it is filtered first- even if you're not aware of it.
>
> When the percentage of SPAM from a particular mail server reaches a =20=

> critical threshold, usually around 80%, then it is common for ALL =20
> emails from the same mail server to be blocked for 24 hours.  This =20
> then causes emails from that server to be bounced back - no matter =20
> if it's SPAM or a legitimate email from the ISP's customer (ie. you =20=

> and me).  In other words, if a mail server is sending 80% spam then =20=

> it is blocked, and so is the 20% of legitimate emails coming from =20
> the same place.
>
> This can sometimes be confusing for end users because big ISPs will =20=

> have many mail servers with different IP addresses, so one may be =20
> blocked while others still work.  So an end user might send an =20
> email only to have it bounce back, but then if they try again it =20
> works the second time - because the email was routed through a =20
> different mail server second time round (or the 24hour period had =20
> passed).
>
> The problem is generally caused by ISPs that have what are called =20
> 'open mail relays' - this means anyone on the internet can use them =20=

> to send email, even if they aren't customers of the ISP.  =20
> Generally, anyone means spammers, so an ISP that has an open email =20
> relay will become a gateway for spammers to flood the world with SPAM.
>
> Several years ago my ISP was an Australian company called Optus, =20
> who had open mail relays and didn't require any sort of email =20
> authentication.  This meant anyone, anywhere in the world could =20
> send emails through Optus even if they weren't Optus customers.  =20
> Which meant spammers.  The end result was that approximately 75% of =20=

> all email going through the Optus mail servers was SPAM, and a =20
> small spike in SPAM could take it over the 80% threshold that would =20=

> get ALL emails to and from Optus - including legitimate customers =20
> like me - being bounced back.  I'm sure you can sympathise how =20
> infuriating it is to know that emails you are sending are not going =20=

> through, and emails that people are sending you are being blocked =20
> because your ISP is a bit shit.  I don't know why an ISP would have =20=

> open mail relays, and I don't know if Optus have changed their =20
> policy since then, but I changed to a different ISP as soon as I =20
> could.
>
> So what is probably happening with the AE list is that somewhere, a =20=

> mail server is experiencing an unusually large amount of SPAM =20
> traffic, and so it has been blocked by other ISPs at a very basic =20
> level.  This is not the same as being added to a SPAM blacklist, or =20=

> having AE list emails being confused as SPAM.  That's not =20
> happening.  It just means that some services (such as Gmail) are =20
> refusing ALL emails that come from the same mail server - whether =20
> it's a legitimate AE list email or one selling discount meds and so =20=

> on=85
>
> Also, in this context it's useful to think of Gmail as a webpage =20
> and not an ISP.  The problem is with the companies that people use =20
> to connect to the internet, and the IP addresses of their mail =20
> servers.  There is nothing about the AE list, and nothing about the =20=

> people who subscribe to it (i.e. you and me) that has caused the =20
> bounce messages.  The problem is more fundamental than that.
>
> The only solution is to hope that the ISPs that are causing the =20
> problems (possibly including the one Rene uses) do something to =20
> lower the amount of SPAM going through their system.  They =20
> shouldn't have open mail relays for a start, but it's not easy to =20
> get a big company to change their policy and IT infrastructure =20
> overnight.
>
> Anyway I hope this explanation is useful and interesting to =20
> everyone who's having bounce issues, and serves as some reassurance =20=

> that it's nothing personal!
>
> -Chris
>
>
>
>
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