2024/05/10 - Revision history

Woozle: template shenanigans

2024-05-13T20:30:48Z

template shenanigans

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:30, 13 May 2024
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	{{page/~~date\|Woozle's~~ journal}}		{{woozle/page/journal}}
	~~[[category:journal]]~~
	[[category:story]]		[[category:story]]
	[[category:tech]]		[[category:tech]]

Woozle: /* 5/12 followup: unblocked! */

2024-05-13T14:27:36Z

5/12 followup: unblocked!

@@ Line 126: / Line 126: @@
 ==5/12 followup: unblocked!==
 Well, Gmail is now accepting my messages again -- so I guess I don't actually need to get off that 3rd list, or at least not so urgently. I'll still be moving my email server to a block that isn't listed there, eventually, but I don't have to rush about it (or pay money to Whitelisted). So ''that's'' good.
 ==Footnote==
 <references>
 </references>

Woozle at 17:09, 12 May 2024

2024-05-12T17:09:20Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:09, 12 May 2024
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	Moral of the story: before setting up an email host, check the blocklists for an address that isn't on any.		Moral of the story: before setting up an email host, check the blocklists for an address that isn't on any.
			==5/12 followup: unblocked!==
			Well, Gmail is now accepting my messages again -- so I guess I don't actually need to get off that 3rd list, or at least not so urgently. I'll still be moving my email server to a block that isn't listed there, eventually, but I don't have to rush about it (or pay money to Whitelisted). So ''that's'' good.
	==Footnote==		==Footnote==
	<references>		<references>
	</references>		</references>

Woozle: /* Where It Starts */ restored missing character

2024-05-12T00:24:23Z

Where It Starts: restored missing character

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:24, 12 May 2024
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	It had been working fine as recently as May 5, so whatever changed was obviously very recent.		It had been working fine as recently as May 5, so whatever changed was obviously very recent.
	[[File:~~224~~-05-10.screen.13.png\|400px\|thumb\|cloud1 (which uses the blocked IP address) first spun up on 2020/10/21.]]		[[File:2024-05-10.screen.13.png\|400px\|thumb\|cloud1 (which uses the blocked IP address) first spun up on 2020/10/21.]]
	'''Long story short''':		'''Long story short''':
	* Actually, no, it happened in August of 2020 -- definitely ''not'' sometime between May 5 and May 8, not recent, and in fact over a month before I started using that IP address.		* Actually, no, it happened in August of 2020 -- definitely ''not'' sometime between May 5 and May 8, not recent, and in fact over a month before I started using that IP address.
	* There are 3 IP blocklists which might be causing this. I've managed to get off two of them; the third involves more effort and possibly some money.		* There are 3 IP blocklists which might be causing this. I've managed to get off two of them; the third involves more effort and possibly some money.

	==Long Story Not Short==		==Long Story Not Short==
	Upon following the "more information" link, I found information which suggested that Gmail was blocking me because I'd ended up on a blocklist somehow, and that this had happened because I was running an open SMTP relay on that server (which is something you just don't do, in this era, because spammers ''will'' abuse it).		Upon following the "more information" link, I found information which suggested that Gmail was blocking me because I'd ended up on a blocklist somehow, and that this had happened because I was running an open SMTP relay on that server (which is something you just don't do, in this era, because spammers ''will'' abuse it).

Woozle at 15:56, 11 May 2024

2024-05-11T15:56:36Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:56, 11 May 2024
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	\|'''Discuss''': [https://toot.cat/@woozle/112422665268341073 APub fedi (Mastodon)]		\|'''Discuss''': [https://toot.cat/@woozle/112422665268341073 APub fedi (Mastodon)]
	\|}		\|}
			{\| width=100%
			\|-
			\| __TOC__
			\| align=right \|
			{\| width=50%
			\|-
			\|
			==Non-Technical Summary==
			* Gmail is blocking messages from my email server.
			* It turns out the address was somehow retroactively placed on 3 blocklists, from an incident 3+ years go, before I was using it.
			* I've managed to get off 2 of them.
			* The 3rd one is more tricky -- it's for a large block of addresses, and the only ways to get off are (1) get the provider (Digital Ocean, in this case) to do it, (2) pay a not-terrible amount of money to a service called Whitelisted, (3) move to a server that isn't in a blocklist zone.
			* I'm considering which combination of 2 and 3 to go with, because fat chance of #1 happening. I have found a server-center that isn't blocked -- it's in Finland :D
			\|}
			\|}
			==Where It Starts==
	Two days ago (May 8), I noticed that Gmail is now outright blocking my emails.		Two days ago (May 8), I noticed that Gmail is now outright blocking my emails.
	<woozalia@gmail.com>: host gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com[172.253.115.27] said:		<woozalia@gmail.com>: host gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com[172.253.115.27] said:
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	It had been working fine as recently as May 5, so whatever changed was obviously very recent.		It had been working fine as recently as May 5, so whatever changed was obviously very recent.
	[[File:~~2024~~-05-10.screen.13.png\|400px\|thumb\|cloud1 (which uses the blocked IP address) first spun up on 2020/10/21.]]		[[File:224-05-10.screen.13.png\|400px\|thumb\|cloud1 (which uses the blocked IP address) first spun up on 2020/10/21.]]
	'''Long story short''':		'''Long story short''':
	* Actually, no, it happened in August of 2020 -- definitely ''not'' sometime between May 5 and May 8, not recent, and in fact over a month before I started using that IP address.		* Actually, no, it happened in August of 2020 -- definitely ''not'' sometime between May 5 and May 8, not recent, and in fact over a month before I started using that IP address.

Woozle at 13:27, 11 May 2024

2024-05-11T13:27:01Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:27, 11 May 2024
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	[[File:2024-05-10.screen.12.png]]		[[File:2024-05-10.screen.12.png]]
	This, unfortunately, costs money (although the price goes down steeply the further ahead you pay).
			This, unfortunately, costs money (although the price goes down steeply the further ahead you pay). (Note: CHF - Swiss Francs - are apparently approximately $1.)

	I'm thinking I will want to use some combination of the two: pay for a certain amount of WhiteListed time, and also move to another host -- because, of the two available Hetzlets<ref>like a "droplet" ({{l/wp\|Virtual private server\|VPS}}) at Digital Ocean, except at Hetzner</ref> I currently have set up, although one of them (in the US) is on UCE's blocklist, the other one -- in Finland -- is not (see sidebar, because for some reason I wanted to include the entire listing).		I'm thinking I will want to use some combination of the two: pay for a certain amount of WhiteListed time, and also move to another host -- because, of the two available Hetzlets<ref>like a "droplet" ({{l/wp\|Virtual private server\|VPS}}) at Digital Ocean, except at Hetzner</ref> I currently have set up, although one of them (in the US) is on UCE's blocklist, the other one -- in Finland -- is not (see sidebar, because for some reason I wanted to include the entire listing).

Woozle at 13:25, 11 May 2024

2024-05-11T13:25:30Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:25, 11 May 2024
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	[[category:Hetzner]]		[[category:Hetzner]]
	[[category:Digital Ocean]]		[[category:Digital Ocean]]
			{\| align=right
			\|-
			\|'''Discuss''': [https://toot.cat/@woozle/112422665268341073 APub fedi (Mastodon)]
			\|}

	Two days ago (May 8), I noticed that Gmail is now outright blocking my emails.		Two days ago (May 8), I noticed that Gmail is now outright blocking my emails.
	<woozalia@gmail.com>: host gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com[172.253.115.27] said:		<woozalia@gmail.com>: host gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com[172.253.115.27] said:

Woozle at 23:26, 10 May 2024

2024-05-10T23:26:15Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:26, 10 May 2024
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	{{page/date\|Woozle's ~~[[Woozle/blarg\|~~journal]]}}		{{page/date\|Woozle's journal}}
	[[category:journal]]		[[category:journal]]
	[[category:story]]		[[category:story]]
	[[category:tech]]		[[category:tech]]
			[[category:Hetzner]]
			[[category:Digital Ocean]]
	Two days ago (May 8), I noticed that Gmail is now outright blocking my emails.		Two days ago (May 8), I noticed that Gmail is now outright blocking my emails.
	<woozalia@gmail.com>: host gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com[172.253.115.27] said:		<woozalia@gmail.com>: host gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com[172.253.115.27] said:
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	</blockquote>		</blockquote>
	...which seems maybe a tad harsh (especially the first paragraph) -- but reading it in Autistic Non-Implicatory Mode, it actually seems like a pretty legit point.		...which seems maybe a tad harsh (especially the first paragraph) -- but reading it in Autistic Non-Implicatory Mode, it actually seems like a pretty legit point.
			[[File:2024-05-10.screen.14.png\|thumb\|Not On Any of the Lists!]]

	So apparently my primary recourse is to get DigitalOcean to get ''their'' house in order. Do I have any confidence that they can or will? Kind of not. However, there are at least two other options:		So apparently my primary recourse is to get DigitalOcean to get ''their'' house in order. Do I have any confidence that they can or will? Kind of not. However, there are at least two other options:
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	[[File:2024-05-10.screen.12.png]]		[[File:2024-05-10.screen.12.png]]
	~~[[File:2024-05-10.screen.14.png\|thumb\|Not On Any of the Lists!]]~~		This, unfortunately, costs money (although the price goes down steeply the further ahead you pay).
	This, unfortunately, costs money (although the price goes down steeply the further ahead you pay). I'm thinking I will want to use some combination of the two: pay for a certain amount of WhiteListed time, and also move to another host -- because, of the two available Hetzlets<ref>like a "droplet" (VPS) at Digital Ocean, ~~only~~ at Hetzner</ref> I currently have, although one of them (in the US) is on UCE's blocklist, the other one -- in Finland -- is not (see sidebar, because for some reason I wanted to include the entire listing).
			I'm thinking I will want to use some combination of the two: pay for a certain amount of WhiteListed time, and also move to another host -- because, of the two available Hetzlets<ref>like a "droplet" ({{l/wp\|Virtual private server\|VPS}}) at Digital Ocean, except at Hetzner</ref> I currently have set up, although one of them (in the US) is on UCE's blocklist, the other one -- in Finland -- is not (see sidebar, because for some reason I wanted to include the entire listing).

			Moral of the story: before setting up an email host, check the blocklists for an address that isn't on any.
	==Footnote==		==Footnote==
	<references>		<references>
	</references>		</references>

Woozle at 20:11, 10 May 2024

2024-05-10T20:11:41Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:11, 10 May 2024
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	Upon following the "more information" link, I found information which suggested that Gmail was blocking me because I'd ended up on a blocklist somehow, and that this had happened because I was running an open SMTP relay on that server (which is something you just don't do, in this era, because spammers ''will'' abuse it).		Upon following the "more information" link, I found information which suggested that Gmail was blocking me because I'd ended up on a blocklist somehow, and that this had happened because I was running an open SMTP relay on that server (which is something you just don't do, in this era, because spammers ''will'' abuse it).
	===finding the problem===		===finding the problem===
	The first thing I did was check MX Toolbox to make sure I hadn't inadvertently opened a relay (or that my system had been hacked and one had been installed) -- nope, all good:		The first thing I did (yesterday afternoon) was check [https://mxtoolbox.com MX Toolbox] to make sure I hadn't inadvertently opened a relay (or that my system had been hacked and one had been installed) -- nope, all good:
	[[File:2024-05-10.screen.02.png]]		[[File:2024-05-10.screen.02.png]]

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	Note that this list goes on for about 3-4x that long, and all the rest are green/OK.		Note that this list goes on for about 3-4x that long, and all the rest are green/OK.
	===getting ~~de-listed~~===		===getting off the lists===
	The next step, then, is how to appeal these listings -- given that they're all based on an incident which happened before I was assigned that IP address, and which was in fact over 3 years ago.		====List the First====
			The next step, then, is how to appeal these listings -- especially given that they're all based on an incident which happened before I was assigned that IP address, and which was in fact over 3 years ago.

	SORBS seemed to be telling me that I basically can't right now because they're dealing with a DDoS attack... except that "Re-testing is currently ENABLED", so...?		SORBS seemed to be telling me that I basically can't right now because they're dealing with a DDoS attack... except that "Re-testing is currently ENABLED", so...?
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	[[File:2024-05-10.screen.04.png]]		[[File:2024-05-10.screen.04.png]]

	In any case, I was able to request a de-listing -- which succeeded, and somehow ended me up at Spamhaus, so maybe that "can't do it now [yes we can]" warning was about something else?		In any case, I was able to request a de-listing -- which succeeded, and somehow ended me up at Spamhaus (not SORBS), so maybe that "can't do it now [yes we can]" warning was about something else?

	[[File:2024-05-10.screen.05.png]]		[[File:2024-05-10.screen.05.png]]
			====List the Second====
			So that's one down. It was bedtime, so I started in on the next one the next day, i.e. this morning: "SORBS SPAM" -- huh, SORBS again? Didn't I just do them? Well, apparently not...

	~~'''writing still in progress''~~		[[File:2024-05-10.screen.06.png\|thumb\|I saw the SORBS information here first, but the other screen seems rather more readable.]]
	~~<gallery>~~		[[File:2024-05-10.screen.07.png]]
	File:2024-05-10.screen.06.png
	File:2024-05-10.screen.07.png		I tried to submit a removal request from there, but it said this:
	File:2024-05-10.screen.08.png
	File:2024-05-10.screen.09.png		[[File:2024-05-10.screen.08.png]]
	File:2024-05-10.screen.10.png
	File:2024-05-10.screen.11.png		...which turned out to mean that I had to be actually accessing the web site ''from'' the blocked IP address.
	File:2024-05-10.screen.12.png
	</~~gallery~~>		Now, that machine is not a desktop. It doesn't have a desktop installed on it. There's Linux trickery<ref>If you connect with <code>ssh -X</code>, you can run GUI applications remotely.</ref> you can use in order to run GUI applications -- such as a web browser -- on a remote machine, but this tends to be slow and also adds more computing burden to the machine (lots of libraries need to be installed, and it may cause additional processes to always be run at startup; I don't actually know), so I try to avoid it -- and web browsers tend to be particularly CPU-hungry.

			My first thought was to install a very basic browser, since the SORBS site doesn't seem likely to expect a lot of finicky JavaScript stuff to work right -- but then I remembered the existence of {{l/wp\|Lynx (web browser)}}, a web browser that runs entirely in a text-terminal... and after some stumbling around trying to figure out how to navigate web-pages and click on things without a mouse, success was attained:

			[[File:2024-05-10.screen.08a.png]]
			[[File:2024-05-10.screen.09.png]]
			====List the Third====
			And now we come to the final blocklist on the list of listed blocks, "UCEPROTECTL3":

			{\|
			\|-
			\| [[File:2024-05-10.screen.10.png\|x400px]]
			\| [[File:2024-05-10.screen.11.png\|x400px]]
			\|}

			The second screen in particular contained some text which seems to throw some light on the situation:
			<blockquote>
			Further information which seems potentially illuminating:
			'''As you should know now: It is not you, it is your complete provider which got UCEPROTECT-Level 3 listed.'''
			<br>Your IP 68.183.140.54 was NOT part of abusive action, but you are the one that has freely chosen your provider.
			By tolerating or ignoring that your provider doesn't care about abusers you are indirectly also supporting the global spam with your money.
			Seen from this point of view, you really shouldn't wonder about the consequences.

			'''Therefore we recommend:'''
			<br>Please send a complaint to your provider and request they fix this problem immediatly.
			Think about this: You pay them so that you can use the Internet without problems;

			If they are ignoring your complaint or claiming they can't do anything, you should consider changing your provider.
			There are currently about 105,000 providers worldwide, but only a few hundred make it to get listed into UCEPROTECT-Level 3.

			According to the statistics measured against the mailflow of several national authorities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, those few providers which often end up in our Level 3 are responsible for 50 - 75% of all global spam, while almost no real mail came from their networks and ranges.
			</blockquote>
			...which seems maybe a tad harsh (especially the first paragraph) -- but reading it in Autistic Non-Implicatory Mode, it actually seems like a pretty legit point.

			So apparently my primary recourse is to get DigitalOcean to get ''their'' house in order. Do I have any confidence that they can or will? Kind of not. However, there are at least two other options:
			# Find a servlet (VPS) host whose IP range is ''not'' blocked for bad behavior.
			# Get on WhiteListed:

			[[File:2024-05-10.screen.12.png]]
			[[File:2024-05-10.screen.14.png\|thumb\|Not On Any of the Lists!]]
			This, unfortunately, costs money (although the price goes down steeply the further ahead you pay). I'm thinking I will want to use some combination of the two: pay for a certain amount of WhiteListed time, and also move to another host -- because, of the two available Hetzlets<ref>like a "droplet" (VPS) at Digital Ocean, only at Hetzner</ref> I currently have, although one of them (in the US) is on UCE's blocklist, the other one -- in Finland -- is not (see sidebar, because for some reason I wanted to include the entire listing).

			==Footnote==
			<references>
			</references>

Woozle at 19:17, 10 May 2024

2024-05-10T19:17:41Z

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 [[category:story]]
 [[category:tech]]
-''writing should commence later today; just posting images for now...''
+Two days ago (May 8), I noticed that Gmail is now outright blocking my emails.
 <gallery>
 File:2024-05-10.screen.06.png
 File:2024-05-10.screen.07.png