Mail Returned - Barracuda Reputation

[charlesindia]

Hi,
I have been using AMS for about 50 domains, It is running fine.
A few days back one of the client raised a complaint that his mail is returned. We check the returned mail and found
the reason, "blocked using Barracuda Reputation", We checked the site bbl.barracudacentral.com
with our server IP, It is OK, But the client IP seems to be black listed.
Since the client is sending mails using smpt authentication. Is the clients IP also checked for spam ?
Kindly let us know how to overcome this issue ?

[Code Crafters]

If the client is relaying via Ability Mail Server using SMTP authentication then only the AMS IP can be checked for black lists. However, the returned email error should also contain the IP that it blocked so you can verify this and remove the block on their site by contacting them if you are blocked.

[charlesindia]

Hi Chris,
Thanks for your reply, I just wanted to know which IP is checked for spam, The senders local IP or the IP in which AMS is running.
If it is AMS IP then it is easy to remove from IP from the barracuda site but if it checks the sender's local IP it will be a difficult task to manage the same.

[Code Crafters]

Mails rejected by AMS due to SPAM would be checking the senders IP. However, in your case I think you mean mail relayed from AMS to another mail server in which case the AMS IP becomes the sender in that new part of the delivery chains so you need to just remove AMS IP from barracuda if blocked although the error should also contain the IP.

[Jack]

I have noticed in the last few days I am getting this. When I go and check my mail server IP it says: "The ip address (my mail server IP) is not currently listed as "poor" on the Barracuda Reputation System."

It does list another IP address which is the IP address of the connecting sender. This sender is using my mail server and is authenticated. If what you're saying is true this should not happen.

It should only check my IP and not the IP of the sender. Is this correct?

[Code Crafters]

If barracuda is an RBL on your Ability Mail Server, then this is supposed to specifically check that the sender isn't on the black list. However, you can tick the check box on the first page of the SPAM filtering settings to exclude any account with relaying access (Via SMTP authentication or WebMail or POP before SMTP) to allow authenticated users not to be SPAM checked. You can also white list particular users instead of excluding all authenticated from SPAM filtering.

[Jack]

If barracuda is an RBL on your Ability Mail Server, then this is supposed to specifically check that the sender isn't on the black list. However, you can tick the check box on the first page of the SPAM filtering settings to exclude any account with relaying access (Via SMTP authentication or WebMail or POP before SMTP) to allow authenticated users not to be SPAM checked. You can also white list particular users instead of excluding all authenticated from SPAM filtering.

I have that check box checked. What is happening is the IP of the client is being passed to the recieving host and they are checking and refusing the email based on the client IP and not the IP of my mail server. I have not setup barracuda in AMS. Unless it is one of the default RBL's then it's not setup. This has only happened for one destination email address to my knowledge so far from my end.

[Code Crafters]

Ability Mail Server will check against the IP of the client. However, the client IP should never be used for checks against other mail servers relayed to by Ability Mail Server. The only way this could be possible would be if the receiving mail server checked the Received lines of the header of the email data but this would be unusual and unlikely.

[Jack]

Ability Mail Server will check against the IP of the client. However, the client IP should never be used for checks against other mail servers relayed to by Ability Mail Server. The only way this could be possible would be if the receiving mail server checked the Received lines of the header of the email data but this would be unusual and unlikely.

That has to be what is going on then. It isn't a big issue for me right now. I'm more just curious than anything. I don't have anybody complaining yet. At least now I know what to say if they do complain. I'll just tell them they need to contact the receiving party and inform them that their mail server is refusing to accept mail based on something it shouldn't even be checking.

Thanks

[Code Crafters]

It's unusual to check the header lines for SPAM checks against all IPs in the delivery chain but is possibly beneficial in detecting bad IPs. However, simply because it's not an AMS check and against a client IP it's out of your control. If it's a major problem you'd have to try and get the client to send from a more trusted IP (e.g. relay via their ISP) or contact the destination mail server to see if they can do anything about it but they probably won't want to limit their security.

[sjoram]

Hi both,
Just going through some threads on the forum and spotted this one.
I've had this issue with the CBL blacklist when sending emails from my smartphone which has an o2 SIM card - some of o2's IP blocks are blacklisted.

[Code Crafters]

You can always add any know IPs or IP ranges to the SPAM white list if know these are ok. Obviously this could introduce some extra SPAM from other 02 sources though. Another option is to SPAM white list the specific email addresses you use for both sender and recipient.