🚀 go-pugleaf

[snip]
> You could, instead, only accept requests from members of the mailing
> list.  But this is problem prone, and sort of silly if we intend to
> keep the newsgroup unmoderated with a bidirectional gateway.
>

I think the bidirectional gateway is a good idea, I know I would get
flooded if either one went away.

[snip]

> >*       Usenet security is easy to bypass by forging the "Approved-By"
> >        headers (rec.humor got spammed by the infamous "Green Card"
> >        attack a few months ago)
>
> _This_ is where PGP comes into the act.  The _moderator_ PGP signs
> the posting, perhaps automatically.  Then other servers on the net
> running "PGPMoose" software will detect and nuke any postings in the
> group that are not PGP signed.  This service is now available, and is in
> production.
>
> >*       Mail security is easy to bypass by getting a legitimate
> >        account (with a forged email address) on the list before spamming.
>
> This is irrelevant as long as we keep in mind we're trying to stop spam.
> Besides, most spammers aren't going to take the time to figure out how
> to pre-subscribe in order to spam your list.  The Groseclose spammer
> didn't spend hours trying to figure out how to penetrate cips-l, he
> simply _posted_ (it wasn't emailed) 5,000+ copies of the damn things
> to every newsgroup his server knew about.
>
> Just limiting to valid users (on the list side) would eliminate 99%
> of spam.
>

This is easy to do on the listserv side but I don't think this is
possible in the newsgroup world (the bidirectional gateway)
I leave that answer  to the people who know news stuff better.

> >*       It requires much more active involvement by a moderator.  I
> >        don't think that our discussion are formal enough to
> >        warrant this.
>
> There are options here.
>
[snip]
>
> Here are some simple things we could do:
>
>         1) We all agree that SPAM is bad in CIPS-L, and as owner of CIPS-L,
>            we authorize you to nuke any off-topic posting you feel
>            like.  If you wish to do this, I can provide you with the
>            appropriate software.  This is known as retroactive moderation.
>

The only problem that I see with this is CIPS-L has an extremely
slack owner(me) and I quite regularly ignore my email for a few days
to get ``real'' work done

By the time I notice a spam has usually caused lots of grief and my
mailbox is full of notes from people complaining about the spam or
the way I have delt with the spammer/victim (in this case). My
apologies to John, I have asked his id to be removed from that bad
person list and this has happened. He should be active again.

>         2) We moderate can.org.cips and cips-l.  You reject any off-topic
>            junk.
>

Moderation sounds like a good idea but it really would be a very bad
Idea for ME to be the moderator. If there is a moderator(s) who would
like to step forward  we can see about the moderating the
list/newsgroup.

>         3) We do (2), and, rather than have you see everything, mail
>            each message off to one of a group of moderators.  This speeds
>            things up.
>
>         4) We do (2), and you put filters into the injector that looks
>            for known junk patterns (I have millions of them ;-).
>
>            This has the advantage of not slowing the group down - it's
>            all automatic.
>

I like this one but it would have to be a very good filter that
understands context. Just in case we get into a discussion on
something like access to computer technology within schools
should be free of any bias such as sex, etc...

Free sex etc is a perfecty valid string in the context of this
sentence. Your filter could not be based on string matching alone..

Comments are welcome Should cips-l/can.org.cips be moderated?
if so do we have a volunteer.

Mike

(P.S. I will be generating a bunch of new listserv lists  as soon as I can
find my PIN number) There is a new way to apply and I seem to have
thrown out my pin number.  (You mean I was supposed to READ the
documentation!!!!)


Happy New Year Everybody.
--
Michael J. MacDonald I.S.P.       Mikemac@unb.ca
Senior Systems Specialist         Fax   (506) 453 3566
Faculty of Computer Science UNB   Phone (506) 453 4566
#include <standard.disclaimer>