Good observation. Kudos Timothe! On Mon, Oct 6, 2014 at 2:47 PM, Timothe Litt <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > I've just spent a couple of hours tracking down why dozens of e-mails to > this list have been quarantined by anti-virus software on my servers (and > probably other servers). > > As I receive the list in digest format, this means many postings as the > entire digest (typically a day's worth of posts) is treated as malicious. > > The problem turned out to be that a member's e-mail signature includes a > URL that Google has detected as a distributor of 19 exploits. > > I've notified that member of the details privately. > > *For everyone else:* The lesson is that including URLs in your signature > (as well as in the message body) can cause your e-mail to be treated as > malicious and not delivered. At least when sending to mailing lists, > please keep your signatures as simple (and short) as possible! > > FYI, to check a URL's status with Google's service, simply visit http://www.google.com/safebrowsing/diagnostic?site= > , appending the url (starting with http://) after the '='. > > *For the listserv administrator:* Mail sent to the list should go > through an anti-virus filter before being accepted. ClamAV is what I use > (free, safe & effective); configure it with 'SafeBrowsing yes' in > freshclam.conf. Because that (apparently) isn't being done, a single > problematic posting causes every digest including (or quoting) that message > to be treated as malicious. The classification is correct, but the effect > is to suppress delivery of many postings. In any case, the list should try > not to distribute malicious mail. (In this case, sent inadvertently.) > > This technical interlude now returns you to the regularly-scheduled > programming... > > -- > Timothe Litt > ACM Distinguished Engineer > -------------------------- > This communication may not represent the ACM or my employer's views, > if any, on the matters discussed. > > -- *Cell-Phone +254 722 212171 or +254 721 274273* Before printing this mail make sure it is completely necessary. THE ENVIRONMENT IS EVERY ONE'S BUSINESS.