ISP changing port 25 to 587 for SMTP

[Rubycon]

If this is to prevent rogue SMTP applications on infected computers what happens when the virus writers start using 587? Isn't this just a game of cat and mouse?

 

[Pheran]

Rubycon, 587 isn't actually SMTP, it's the submission port (though admittedly, the protocol is effectively the same). It's only meant for email submissions from MUAs (mail user agents), not mail relay between mail servers. Usually it's authenticated (which is helpful for stopping spammers), but that depends on your ISP. If it's not authenticated, it certainly could be used by a spambot.

 

[Rubycon]

So will this be effective in the long term?

 

[Red Squirrel]

Probably short term. If this catches on then spammers will just do port scans to "test" if successful connects are SMTP, maybe by sending a helo and checking the response.

It's kinda like captchas. In my experience they're pretty much useless now. Spammers just use special bots that can decode them. These people really have too much time on their hands and should be hanged on a radio tower by their balls, when it's -40 out.

 

[Rubycon]

Probably short term. If this catches on then spammers will just do port scans to "test" if successful connects are SMTP, maybe by sending a helo and checking the response.

It's kinda like captchas. In my experience they're pretty much useless now. Spammers just use special bots that can decode them. These people really have too much time on their hands and should be hanged on a radio tower by their balls, when it's -40 out.

I don't like captchas - period! Some are too hard to read.

 

[Pheran]

If they authenticate on that port, it will be reasonably effective. At least until some spambot gets smart enough to steal credentials from someone who checks the "Save password" box in their email client, after rooting their system. Computer security is an arms race. The unfortunate truth is that the good guys have to plug every security hole and the bad guys only need one.

 

[Fayd]

If this is to prevent rogue SMTP applications on infected computers what happens when the virus writers start using 587? Isn't this just a game of cat and mouse?

my isp doesnt allow port 25 out.

my smtp port was changed to 2525. i think hostpc also allowed 587, but 2525 allows for encryption. (i think that was the difference... been awhile since i set it up...)

 

[RadiclDreamer]

I don't like captchas - period! Some are too hard to read.

Thats why I like the captchas that ask questions like what is 5+2 or what color is this text. Seems to work until they employ 3rd world workers to decode them for $1 a week

 

[Rubycon]

Thats why I like the captchas that ask questions like what is 5+2 or what color is this text. Seems to work until they employ 3rd world workers to decode them for $1 a week

The ones like "complete the reaction" or solve for z are amusing but would stop many humans too!

 

[RebateMonger]

I don't like captchas - period! Some are too hard to read.

I was trying to reset my Youtube.com password a while back and I found it IMPOSSIBLE to read the Captcha offerings. I refreshed them several times and I only got one correct out of a dozen.

I looked again last night, and they've changed their Captchas. They are now semi-readable.

 

[Rubycon]

Ummmm...

 

[RebateMonger]

Ummmm...

I wish I'd made screen captures of the Captchas I was seeing a couple of weeks ago. They were like soldiers in camouflage spelling out the letters laying in the ground cover in a dark forest. On many of them, the letters were the same color as the background. I couldn't even tell that there WERE letters.

The kinda I'm talking about are represented on this page:
http://blog.sd360.com/2009/03/stop-spam-with-captcha/ next to the "Hard to Read Captcha" heading. Only the ones I saw were MUCH worse.