05/21/2008

We have built a free server addin for Lotus Notes and Domino, to help reduce Backscatter that arrives at your Domino servers.

Backscatter is a big problem for all servers across the internet, and Lotus Domino servers are no exception. We have created a "Stop Backscatter" project to help protect Lotus Notes and Domino email users from email Backscatter.

We call this version SpamSentinel NoBS, for No Backscatter. The software is a simple DLL that you put in your Notes.ini. It works on any version of Domino (5,6,7 or 8) running on Windows machines (2000, 2003, XP), and stops between 80%-90% of the Backscatter. The messages are deleted at the server during the SMTP session. It does not send back a non-Delivery report, or reject the message, as that would just add to the Backscatter problem. It should be compatible with all Lotus Domino Anti-Virus products, as well as most spam filters you may be using. There are No license fees and No expiration date (and no support - except via email on a best efforts basis).

What is Backscatter? Most of us have seen it:

failure notice
Mail delivery failed: returning message to sender
Undelivered Mail Returned to Sender
Undeliverable: Free Vigara Plils. ksmith's discount Coupon #lJevs .
Please Verify Your Email Address: REPLY to this email.
Your e-mail could not be delivered
Delivery Status Notification (Delay)
Undeliverable - Recipient does not exist

These are delivery failure reports for messages that we did not send. Backscatter is a common issue at the moment. What happens is that the spam sender forges the return address so that it points to you. When the receiving server rejects the message, due to an invalid user name or mail box full error (for example), the server creates a non-Delivery failure and sends it back to the user who it thinks the mail came from - i.e. you or one of your users. (To see how that can happen read Why do I get spam that is NOT addressed to me ).

Although Backscatter is not spam, many of our Lotus Notes and Domino customers complain about it to us, as they know we can be pretty creative when stopping unwanted email. We have figured out a way to protect the Domino servers from most Backscatter. (SpamSentinel has this Backscatter feature already built-in in version 7.5.3.1).

Here is a sample of what it accomplishes, taken from log.nsf:

Here are some questions and answers about the product:

Will I still Receive "Real" Delivery Failure Reports?
Delivery failure reports will still be sent to users for mail that they actually sent. We can determine the difference between mail originating from your Domino server and Backscatter.

Is it Compatible with my current Spam filter? Or AV product?
NoBS should be compatible with all anti-spam and anti-virus products installed on your Domino server. If you find one that is not, click here to report a problem:
Click here to report a problem

Can I Whitelist specific Domains?
No. NoBS is a simple, free product. If you want advanced features, take a look at the full SpamSentinel product (click here), which has many advanced settings, including an option to quarantine Backscatter for users to examine and release as needed.

You can download the software, and read FAQ here:
http://www.maysoft.com/bs

Feedback to the product can be left on this blog. Please tell us if it helps stop a lot of your Backscatter?