Tag: Security
Postfix MySQL and You!
by Nick on Oct.30, 2009, under Administration, E-Mail, News
Postfix is surprisingly flexible. When I initially set it up two years ago, I set it up to reference a database, but I had a flaw in my logic. Basically, Postfix had no idea if a domain was marked active or inactive in the database. All it knew was whether a domain was in the database or not. Postfix has a default query, that looks for key information. However, you can supercede it in your config files. So I simply commented out the old variables that it passed to the default query, and wrote a new one:
user = DB_USER
password = supersecretpassword
hosts = 127.0.0.1
dbname = DB_NAME
table = domain
#select_field = domain < -- old version, commented out
#where_field = domain <-- old version, commented out
#New Query:
query = SELECT domain FROM domain WHERE domain='%s' and backupmx = false and active = true
Yes, I have backupmx enabled, even though that’s a titanically bad idea, and I would never use it. Why is it a bad idea to fuction as a Backup MX server? Because spammers don’t play by the RFCs and often send spam to lower weighted MX records in an attempt to bypass spam protection.
But I never know what people may ask for in the future. 
Curiosity
by Nick on Aug.21, 2009, under News, Security
People are so curious nowadays… Today I’ve received one NMAP ping from Colorado State (I’m guessing since I recently downloaded NMAP) and one “Version” query from ISC.org. Or at least, I think I have. Oh well, no harm done.
DNS and you!
by Nick on Jul.31, 2009, under News, Security
Say what you want about Kaminsky. I mean, the man is crazy. However, being on call when your employer, a regional ISP, reboots both the primary and secondary DNS servers, makes you appreciate how important DNS is in the grand scheme of internet things. Granted, his attack is fairly novel, but yeah… I’m glad ISC makes updating BIND nice and easy.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…
by Nick on Jul.29, 2009, under News, Security
Where the hackers are crowing and exploits are flowing, seeding new ph34r.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
It’s the hap-happiest season of all,
when your software’s updating and admins are hating users not on the ball. It’s the hap-happiest season of all!
Seriously, can we spread out BH DefCon et al? I mean, not that I mind updating day after day…
On Jabber?
