OS/2 Shareware BBS: 35 Internet/35-Internet.zip/spam020.zip/spam.doc

Text File | 1996-10-26 | 13KB | 317 lines

                 SPAM  -- V 0.20 Beta - October 26, 1996
               ==========================================
               | ,dP""8a "888888b,  d8b    "888b  ,888" |
               | 88b   "  888  d88 dPY8b    88Y8b,8888  |
               | `"Y8888a 888ad8P'dPaaY8b   88 Y88P888  |
               | a,   Y88 888    dP    Y8b  88  YP 888  |
               | `"8ad8P'a888a  a88a;*a888aa88a   a888a |
               ==========================================

                         A BIRDSOFT PROGRAM

       (C) Copyright 1996 by Richard P. Veraa. All rights reserved.
       Veraa-Birdsoft Computer Products. North Miami, Florida, USA

                           INTRODUCTION


                  SPAM  -- V 0.20 Beta - October 26, 1996
Finds originating domain of spam messages and returns message to
postmaster.  Automatically places mail in SOUPER packet. Output usable with
other mail software.  For PC.  Includes DOS and OS/2 versions.
              Freeware
BirdSoft Comuter Proucts; Rich Veraa; North Miami, Florida, USA.

      Love newsgroups but tired of the constant diet of spam?  The
crossposted exhortations to make money fast, to buy hair restorer or call
the horny maidens eager to talk dirty.  This program helps you do something
about it.

      It used to be easy: just bounce a copy to the originating domain's
postmaster and let the perpetrator take his just desserts.  That was fine
when a slice of spam showed up in the bitstream only a couple times a
month.  Now, with tons of it showing up each day, and countless newbies
coming online thinking it's perfectly all right to advertise whatever
they've got to a hundred newsgroups at a clip, it's getting unmanageable.

      SPAM makes it quick and easy to bounce spam articles: just save them
to your hard disk, giving each message a different filename (I use '1',
'2', '3', etc. in a directory called I:\SPAM\ -- but you can use any names
you like).  Then run SPAM.  SPAM reads the header of each message in the
configured directory, determines where it came from, and creates a message
to "postmaster" at that address forwarding a copy of the original message.
You have a choice of ways to send the forwards SPAM creates.  If you use
SOUPER, you may configure SPAM to place the messages in a REPLY.ZIP packet,
either adding them to an existing packet, or creating a new one.  In either
case, SPAM is completely compatible with YARN.  If you don't use SOUPER,
you may create messages with To: and Subject: lines for easy importation
into your mail editor, or with "mail destination" lines that may be read to
the command line of a unix session.

       Since spammed articles often have disguised origins, SPAM compares
the path line, the Message-ID, the Sender, and NNTP-Posting-Host lines, and
creates multiple messages when necessary.  In addition, SPAM can generate a
detailed log to allow further more sophisticated tracing measures, and as
you use the program and receive notices of undeliverable messages, you may
create a file of fictitious addresses that it will not attempt to send to
again.

                             WARRANTY

There is none.

                           INSTALLATION

The archive contains the following files:

                SPAM.EXE  -  DOS Executable
                SPAM2.EXE -  OS/2 Executable
                SAMPLE.CFG - Sample Configuration file
                SPAM.DOC -   This file
                SPAM.GIF -   The only good Spam

Place the executable file of your choice in any directory on your path.
copy the configuration file CONFIG.CFG to SPAM.CFG if you are using the DOS
version, or SPAM2.CFG if you are using the OS/2 version (this allows you to
have a different configuration for each if you use both versions on the
same machine.

                          CONFIGURING

#    SPAM/SPAM2 Configuration file
#
#    Copy the enclosed SAMPLE.CFG file to filename SPAM.CFG if you are
#    using the DOS version or SPAM2.CFG if you are using the OS/2 version
#    Fill out the options you wish (see sample below. Switchable
#    options may be turned out by deleting the octothorpe (#) at the
#    beginning off the line.  All active titles must start from the
#    _beginning_ of the line.
#
#    SPAM is designed to be used with YARN (1) and SOUPER (2), but it's
#    output may be adapted to other mail systems.  Default is to create
#    message files with a header of the usual Usenet "To:" and "Subject"
#    lines, or they may be entered to the command line of a unix session
#    using "mail."  This is useful if you access a unix shell with
#    telnet or a terminal program.  Simply upload the file to the command
#    line as an ASCII transfer.  The first line will invoke "mail" and
#    send the destination, and the second line will automatically respond
#    to the "Subject:" prompt.  Uncomment the "Use Mail" line to
#    activate this option.
#Use Mail
#
#    Many messages have a header line: NNTP-Posting-Host.  You may send
#    spam-report messages to that address also in hopes of reaching a
#    responsible representative of the originating IP.  Note, though, that
#    most messages to this address will be undeliverable. To activate this
#    feature, just uncomment the following line;
#NNTP-Posting-Host
#
#    If you use YARN/SOUPER, SPAM can be configured to automatically add
#    outgoing messages to your reply-packet file as specified in your
#    YARN config file for posting with SOUPER.  This is the  most
#    convenient way of using SPAM.  Be sure to include the correct path to
#    your CONFIG below.  To activate this feature, uncomment the following:
SOUPER Packet.
#
#    Directory you must place copies of spam messages in -- Note: this must
#    be an EMPTY directory except for copies of spam.
Spam copies in: C:\SPAM
#
#   To automatically delete the spam copies when the program is finished
#   with them, uncomment the following line:
Clean Copies
#
#   Directory in which the program will place the report messages it
#   creates.  Note: if you have SPAM place messages in SOUPER packets,
#   archive copies for your records will also be placed in the directory
#   specified in the following. If you don't wish to keep copies, comment
#   out this line with an octothorpe (#) at the beginning of the line.
#Put messages to postmaster in: D:\SPAMOUT
#
#   Directory in which YARN config file is kept.
#   NOTE: If you use with YARN\SOUPER, you MUST fill in this item.
Yarn Config in: C:\RICH\YARN
#
#   Path and filename for log file.
Log file: C:\RICH\SPAM.LOG
#
#   The remaining lines refer to the text of the cover message SPAM will
#   create accompanying the returned spam.
#
#   First line of a two-line signature.
Signature1: Sincerely,
#
#   Second line of signature.
Signature2: J. Q. Netpublic
#
#   Subject line of message to send
Message subject: Net abuse report.
#
#   Number of lines in message text to accompany spam copy
#   Make sure that this number equals the number of uncommented lines
#   used by your message text below.
Message lines: 6
#
#    Text of cover message message
I attach FYI a spammed message that was posted in violation of the charters
of the listed newsgroup(s).

Your attention to this will be appreciated.

Thank you.
#

NOTE FOR OS/2 VERSION:

Note that zip.exe and unzip.exe try to reproduce directories by default,
which conflicts with the path specifications in the program.  They need the
-j switch.  Try the following in config:

# compress program
compress=d:\zippers\zip.exe -m -j %f %d\*.*

# uncompress program
uncompress=d:\zippers\unzip.exe -o -j %f -d %d


                     OPERATION

If you use SPAM with YARN and SOUPER, SPAM is extremely simple to operate.
As you read your newsgroups, as you see a spammed or illegal message, just
SAVE it in your \SPAM\ directory.  Save each offensive message as a
separate file  Use any arbitrary names -- I use '1', '2', '3', etc.  Be sue
to use the "S" command to retain the complete header.

After you leave YARN and before you run SOUPER to send replies, just run
SPAM (or SPAM2 if you are using OS/2).  Spam will scan the articles in your
\spam\ directory and prepare messages to the postmasters of the originating
hosts of the offensive articles, and will pack these in your reply packet.
There's nothing else to do.

If you do not use SPAM, you will have to find the most convenient way to
assemble the spam articles you find in a separate directory.  There must be
nothing else in that directory.  SPAM, will place outgoing email in a
another directory as you specify in the config file.  These may be prepared
in a

mail postmaster@domain

format for use with sendmail, or in a

To: postmaster@domain

for importation into a mail editor.

There are too many combinations of software to consider them here, but with
a bit of ingenuity, SPAM may be adapted to most DOS and OS/2 systems systems.

                         NEW IN V. 0.15+!
                           MANUAL MODE

A manual addressing mode may be accessed from the commandline with the /m
switch, as;
              spam /m

in this mode header information from the original spam is displayed on the
screem, allowing you to asses the message's most likely origin.  The
address SPAM derives from the 'path' line is displayed, and may be accepted
as the default.  Or you may choose to enter a new address at this point, as
for example, to replace '[e-mail]' with '[e-mail]' or
'[e-mail]' with '[e-mail]'  With a little practice
and judicial use of whois and reference to news.admin.net-abuse.misc, you
will soon learn appropriate addresses for most major providers.

                           BADNAME FILE

Because many spam articles have fraudulent addresses, SPAM searches
several places in the header, and often sends more than one message when
more than one appear, anticipating that one of these will be the correct
one.  This procedure often results in delivery-failure returns from the
net.  To reduce this, you may prepare a plain text file of known fictitious
addresses like the example below and put it in the same directory as the
SPAM, or SPAM2 executable.  SPAM will check this list and not send to
addresses it finds there, but will make a log entry marked "Bad address."
The log and badname file can be useful tools for tracing elusive spam
beyond the capability of this program.  For more advanced spam-hunting, see
the FAQs of news.admin.net.abuse.misc and
alt.current-events.net.abuse.spam.

Example BADNAME file:

shooters.com
oooh.com
204.254.156.70
inxs.uu.net
gw2-win.rinet.ru
artemis.ibernet.es.
news2.compulink.com
newsbf02.news.aol.com
sjx-ixn3.ix.netcom.com
skata.generation.net
mail.idt.net
pool038.max6.cleveland.oh.dynip.alter.net
news.production.compuserve.com
pm122.sure.net
news.dodgenet.com
news2.digex.net
news-fw-6.sprintlink.net
204.245.228.1
newsbf02.news.aol.com
blue.cat.rrnet.com

                      QUESTIONS, CRITICISMS, COMMENTS


   Contact me for further information, help, bug reports, comments, or
   Christmas greetings at:

           FidoNet 1:135/907
           (You may route crashmail to me via 1:135/0.  All phone lines to
           the building I live in go through a switchoard, making only
           local incoming calls practical).
           Internet [e-mail]
                    [e-mail]
                    [e-mail]
            http://www.netside.net/~rveraa

           or by SnailMail at:

           Richard Veraa
           Room 211
           Villa Maria Nursing Center
           1050 N.E. 125 Street
           North Miami, FL 33161




                               ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


              PC Yarn - offline news storage and reading system
              and  Souper - transfer mail and news to SOUP
                        Copyright 1995-6 by Chin Huang


               ==========================================
               | ,dP""8a "888888b,  d8b    "888b  ,888" |
               | 88b   "  888  d88 dPY8b    88Y8b,8888  |
               | `"Y8888a 888ad8P'dPaaY8b   88 Y88P888  |
               | a,   Y88 888    dP    Y8b  88  YP 888  |
               | `"8ad8P'a888a  a88a;*a888aa88a   a888a |
               |                ;*;;;;*;;;*;;;*,,       |
               |        _,---'':::';*;;;*;;;*;;*d;,     |
               |     .-'      ::::::::::';*;;*;dII;     |
               |   .' ,<<<,.  :::::::::::::::ffffff`.   |
               |  / ,<<<<<<<<,::::::::::::::::fffffI,\  |
               | .,<<<<<<<<<<I;:::::::::::::::ffffKIP", |
               | |<<<<<<<<<<dP;,?>;,::::::::::fffKKIP | |
               | ``<<<<<<<dP;;;;;\>>>>>;,::::fffKKIPf ' |
               |  \ `mYMMV?;;;;;;;\>>>>>>>>>,YIIPP"` /  |
               |   `. "":;;;;;;;;;i>>>>>>>>>>>>>,  ,'   |
               |     `-._``":;;;sP'`"?>>>>>=========.   |
               |         `---..._______...|<[Hormel |   |
               |                          `========='   |
               ==========================================