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SPF problems

Printed From: LogSat Software
Category: Spam Filter ISP
Forum Name: Spam Filter ISP Support
Forum Description: General support for Spam Filter ISP
URL: https://www.logsat.com/spamfilter/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=4168
Printed Date: 10 December 2025 at 12:56pm


Topic: SPF problems
Posted By: Guests
Subject: SPF problems
Date Posted: 23 August 2004 at 8:34am

Hello,

I have several realy good messages wich are rejected with the following log records :

08/21/04 01:18:39:421 -- (1496) Connection from: 62.81.235.144  -  Originating country : Spain
08/21/04 01:18:39:640 -- (1496) Resolving 62.81.235.144 - 144-235-81-62.libre.auna.net
08/21/04 01:18:44:640 -- (1496) - SPF DNS error: - TimedOut
08/21/04 01:18:44:640 -- (1496) - SPF analysis done: - error
08/21/04 01:18:44:640 -- (1496) Mail from: mailto:tma@jet.es" CLASS="ASPForums" TITLE="WARNING: URL created by poster. - tma@jet.es
08/21/04 01:18:50:000 -- (1496) - MAPS search done...
08/21/04 01:18:50:000 -- (1496) RCPT TO: mailto:pol.crevits@cmi.be" CLASS="ASPForums" TITLE="WARNING: URL created by poster. - pol.crevits@cmi.be accepted
08/21/04 01:19:50:328 -- (1496) Disconnect

 

The sender get the message :

Delay reason: remote host closed connection

Can you explain what happened ?

Thanks,

 

 

 

 


 

 




Replies:
Posted By: LogSat
Date Posted: 23 August 2004 at 7:18pm

Serge,

When there is a DNS failure because of timeouts or other problems, SpamFilter will ignore the filter that suffered from the timeout and continue with the next tests. This can be seen from the log snipped you included. There's a timeout on the SPF test, but SpamFilter went ahead and accepted the recipient. Can you please ensure that there are no other log entries from the thread (1496) between 01:18:50:000 and 01:19:50:328? It is odd to see a disconnect like that for no reason unless the remote host initiated the disconnect (it can happen - especially if the remote is just testing the connection or to see if there's an open relay).

Could you also please post the full bounce email that the sender received, possibly including the SMTP headers so we can follow the email flow? Please also let us know the IP address of the SpamFilter server. If you wish to keep this info private, you may email us at mailto:support@logsat.com" CLASS="ASPForums" TITLE="WARNING: URL created by poster. - support@logsat.com

Roberto F.
LogSat Software



Posted By: LogSat
Date Posted: 24 August 2004 at 5:45pm
Serge,
 
In both cases, SpamFilter is disconnecting the connection exactly 60 seconds after receiving the RCPT TO and DATA command:
 
08/21/04 01:18:50:000 -- (1496) RCPT TO: mailto:aaaa@zzzz" CLASS="ASPForums" TITLE="WARNING: URL created by poster. - aaaa@zzzz accepted
08/21/04 01:19:50:328 -- (1496) Disconnect
 
and
 
08/24/04 01:01:28:375 -- (1864) RCPT TO: mailto:bbbb@zqqqqq" CLASS="ASPForums" TITLE="WARNING: URL created by poster. - bbbb@zqqqqq accepted
08/24/04 01:02:28:687 -- (1864) Disconnect
Here's what we think is happening, but we need your confirmation to be more certain.
 
SpamFilter accepts the connection, and runs most of its IP-based tests to check it for spam. The remote server then sends the email's content, but SpamFilter does not see the traffic since "something" else is temporarily holding it. Once that "something" has done its job, the SMTP traffic is fofrwarded to SpamFilter. What is happening is that SpamFilter has a built-in timer to fight Denial of Service attacks. If it sees an incoming connection that does not transmit any data for 60 seconds, it disconnects it.
 
The "something" could be a firewall and/or a virus checking software that wait for the whole email body to be received, scan it for harmful content, and if clean, pass it on to SpamFilter. The problem is that if the email is large, or if the remote server is on a slow connection, it may take the email more that 60 seconds to be received by the "something". Once it is received, SpamFilter will have already cut the connection, thus the failure occurs.
 
If you're not able to change your network topology to solve this problem, the good news is that the timeout value SpamFilter uses is configurable via an option in the SpamFilter.ini file from version 2.0.1.358:
 
// New to VersionNumber = '2.0.1.358';
{TODO -cNew : Added ReadTimeout ini parameter to allow user control of timeout when waiting for remote SMTP commands}
In your SpamFilter.ini file, look for the follwoing line under the [server settings] section (or add it if it's not there):
 
ReadTimeout=60
You can change the number of seconds to a higher value, 300-600 should suffice in most cases.
 
Please let us know if this solves the problem,
 
Roberto F.
LogSat Software


Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 26 August 2004 at 6:18am

Roberto,

First, I changed ReadTimedout to 300 and then to 600.

Sometimes it works and sometimes not. See an extract of the logfiles on mailto:support@logsat.com" CLASS="ASPForums" TITLE="WARNING: URL created by poster. - support@logsat.com .

Finally, I think it is not because of SpamFilter or our firewall. I continue to make tests with this sender.

Many thanks,

Serge

 

 




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