Note: The "#" and "$" characters before commands represents your system prompt and is not part of the command itself. "#" indicates a command issued as root while "$" indicates a command issued as a normal user.
Note 2: If you install software, update your environment as root and the change is not immediately available try typing rehash at the root shell prompt. This is only necessary when running a C shell (e.g., like /bin/csh).
Note 3: These exercises are based on materials from Philip Hazel.
Basic SpamAssassin Installation using Ports
You need to be root to do this. Using ports downloads all the dependencies, and there are a lot of them!
This may take a while to complete. In the directory# cd /usr/ports/mail/p5-Mail-SpamAssassin
# make install
/usr/local/share/doc/p5-Mail-SpamAssassin the files INSTALL and USAGE give more detailed information. In addition the web site http://spamassassin.apache.org/ has additional documentation and software.
Now setup the SpamAssassin configuration to disable the most expensive network and cpu-based tests.
Add the following lines to the end of the file:# cd /usr/local/etc/mail/spamassassin
# cp local.cf.sample local.cf
# vi local.cf
Now you need to configureuse_dcc 0 use_pyzor 0 use_razor2 0 skip_rbl_checks 1 use_bayes 0
/etc/rc.conf so that the SpamAssassin daemon will start automatically each time your machine boots, and so that you can execute the SpamAssassin start script (remember you need this entry, otherwise the script won't work).
First, add the following line to /etc/rc.conf:
Now start the SpamAssassin daemon, which is called spamd:spamd_enable="YES"
# /usr/local/etc/rc.d/sa-spamd.sh start
Check that the SpamAssassin daemon is running. You may see multiple instances of the daemon:
# ps auxw | grep spamd
You can test the spamd daemon manually using spamc, a client that sends mail to spamd for analysis. You can do this as a regular user:
The output should look something like this:$ spamc -Rsubject: penis enlargement Great new pills available!!!!! Ctrl-D
Despite its content this message has been strongly tagged as 'not spam' because it has not been through any 'untrusted' hosts. You may not see exactly this output: it depends on the default SpamAssassin configuration that has been installed.-2.0/5.0 Spam detection software, running on the system "localhost.", has identified this incoming email as possible spam. The original message has been attached to this so you can view it (if it isn't spam) or label similar future email. If you have any questions, see the administrator of that system for details. Content preview: Great new pills available!!!! [...] Content analysis details: (-2.0 points, 5.0 required) pts rule name description ---- ---------------------- -------------------------------------------------- 0.0 MISSING_DATE Missing Date: header -2.8 ALL_TRUSTED Did not pass through any untrusted hosts 0.8 BODY_ENHANCEMENT2 BODY: Information on getting larger body parts
We are not going to change the Exim configuration so that every message is passed to SpamAssassin. At first, we won't block any messages. Instead, we will put the spam score and other SpamAssassin output into new headers that are added to the message:
Edit the file /usr/local/etc/exim/configure and find the line that contains:
Remember, you can use "/string" in vi to find this line quickly.acl_smtp_rcpt - acl_check_rcpt
Add the following new lines to the file just below this line:
The first line asks Exim to run an ACL check when a message's data has been received in an SMTP transaction. The second line asks for the same ACL to be run on non-SMTP messages. This ensures that all incoming messages are scanned. We must now define the ACL.acl_smtp_data = acl_check_data acl_not_smtp = acl_check_data
Find the configuration line that contains:
And, insert the following lines directly below that line:begin acl
acl_check_data:
warn spam = nobody
message = X-is-spam: over spam threshold
warn message = X-Spam_score: $spam_score\n\
X-Spam_score_int: $spam_score_int\n\
X-Spam_bar: $spam_bar\n\
X-Spam_report: $spam_report
accept
The warn verb in an ACL doesn't accept or reject, but if its conidtions are true, it can add headers to the message. The first warn passes the message to SpamAssassin, and if the spam score is over the threshold, an X-is-spam: header is added. The second warn adds some more headers containing information from SpamAssassin. Theare are always added, unconditionally.
Now send yourself a spam-like message. This examples uses the local SMTP interface (you can do this with a regular account):
Take a look in your mailbox and at the headers of the message that you receive.$ exim -bsmail from:<> rcpt to:<username@yourhostname> data message-id: abcd subject: BUY VIAGRA HERE!!! <html><p>Dear Friend</p> <p>VIAGRA $10.00</p> <p>RISK FREE</p></html> . quit
Change the first warn in the ACL definition above to deny, and try the test again. If the spam score is at least 5, the message should be rejected.
Hervey Allen