Code Crafters

Hello

I am trying to setup an Outlook connection to my Ability mail server. Sometimes the connection will go through, other times not. When I look in the SMTP log on the Ability mail server, there are two lines that appear when I try to connect:

Failed: Action=[Received Recipient], Details=[jon@alexandrialighting.com: SPAM detected by RBL 'zen.spamhaus.org'.]
Failed: Action=[Start Mail Transaction], Details=[Not yet received any valid recipients.]

I have checked to make sure the password is correct, and it is. I have checked with spamhaus.org and they do not have me on a spam list.

In addition, I am also seeing this:Failed: Action=[Starting Login], Details=[Authentication disabled due to too many login failures.]. Is it possible that too many logins is causing the problem, and if so, how do I clear the account?

Any ideas?

Stephen Keating

As you said, there are 2 issues going on here:

1. Anti-hammering is blocking your IP due to too many SMTP Authentication login failures. This is probably down the the password being wrong in your Outlook.
2. Your IP (where your Outlook is) is being blocked by spamhaus RBL. This could be down to being an ISP assigned IP rather than that you've actually sent SPAM from that IP.

You can restart Abiltiy Mail Server (or re-initialise) to reset the anti-hammering IP block list. These will be reset once expired anyway. You should then try to get your Outlook to connect with the correct login details. Also, make sure you've ticked the Relaying Exemption option on the first page of the SPAM filtering settings so that once you have SMTP authentication logged in correctly, you are not subject to any SPAM filtering. This may already be the case but because you aren't successfully logging in then this won't be in effect anyway.

Thanks for the information. I noticed on the SPAM Filter page , in the RBL section, that zen.spamhaus.org is listed. Would these lists be continually updated from that site, or could it be an old listing.

I'm still getting the same issue:

Failed: Action=[Login], Details=[domainname.com], Error=[Incorrect password.]

Even though I have changed the password, and confirmed it through the web portal. This all started on Friday, with no change to either the mail server or firewall.

The RBL lists are queried in real-time so are always up to date.

Try deleting the outlook account and then re-adding it from scratch.