New Clam, Old, Mailscanner, Ancient Kernel

[Greg Matthews]

Culley Morrow wrote:
> I’ll list out the software versions below and I need a bit of assistance 
> making them work for now. I know all I need to do is upgrade the kernel 
> to 2.6 and it all works, but I’d like to get them functioning “As-Is” 
> and then do the upgrade so I have something working to fall back on. 
> Clam AV is currently shut off since clamd as a service was so slow.

kernel upgrade probably not very important. As others have pointed out, 
there is little reason not to upgrade MS and SA. Stick as much memory in 
the box as it can handle.

> Kernel 2.4.18-bf2.4
> 
> Mailscanner 3.27.1-1
> 
> Clam AV 0.90.1-3etch3
> 
> Spam Assassin 2.64-1
> 
>  
> 
> Currently we are inundated with mass spam and I need to get some AV in 
> place, be it Clam or another GNU/GPL/”free as in beer”-ware. I need a 
> hand here if anyone wants to chime in.

if you are "inundated" then the best start you can make is to reject as 
much as possible at the MTA. As this is Debian, your MTA is probably 
(but not necessarily) exim. Look at putting in a single well regarded 
block list at the MTA, something like zen.spamhaus.org but do your 
research and find one that /you/ like the look of (block list 
preferences can start flame wars!). Make sure you are rejecting mail at 
the MTA for all unknown recipients and not accepting then bouncing. Set 
up your MTA to throttle incoming mail so it doesnt get overwhelmed or 
let your incoming queue build up uncontrollably.

Visit the MS wiki for tips on how to do this - dig deep, it can be a bit 
tricky to find what you are looking for. Search the archives for good 
links into the wiki.

GREG
-- 
Greg Matthews           01491 692445
Head of UNIX/Linux, iTSS Wallingford

-- 
This message (and any attachments) is for the recipient only. NERC
is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the contents
of this email and any reply you make may be disclosed by NERC unless
it is exempt from release under the Act. Any material supplied to
NERC may be stored in an electronic records management system.