FC1 sendmail service questions

[Tom Needs a Hat Mitchell]

On Thu, Feb 12, 2004 at 04:58:46PM -0600, John Klingler wrote:
> Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2004 16:58:46 -0600
> 
> It is need for local mail (like LogWatch) and it is safe to leave running.
> The default configuration is to only respond to requests from the local host
> (127.0.0.1).
> 
> From: "Mitch Wiedemann" <mc2 at lightlink.com>

> > Is it a good idea to leave the sendmail service running if I'm not
> > running a mail server?

As far as I know sendmail is safe when it is setup to only listen to the
127.... localhost address (default last I checked on FC1).

It is easy enough to test... try to telnet to your port 25 from any
place else.

Two levels of protection are possible, you can configure firewall port
filters to protect #25 as well as instruct sendmail to ignore external
links.

There are also sites out on the net that will test your sendmail setup
for open relays.  Anyone should do this just so you know what the
probes look like.  Anytime I upgrade sendmail or touch the config files
I give it a test.

This is interesting....
$ file /usr/sbin/sendmail
/usr/sbin/sendmail: symbolic link to `/etc/alternatives/mta'
$ file /etc/alternatives/mta
/etc/alternatives/mta: symbolic link to `/usr/sbin/sendmail.sendmail'



-- 
	T o m  M i t c h e l l 
	mitch48-at-sbcglobal-dot-net