[SpamCop-List] Appeal Listing Form

[Will Smothers]

All,
I am interested to hear from a SpamCop marshal on this so here goes.

Earlier this week, one of our four SMTP gateway servers was added to the
SpamCop Block List. This is not the first time this has happened and in the
past (as I am sure is the case this time) we were listed for sending a virus
notification to a spoofed external email address.

In the past, we were able to contact SpamCop and have our server removed in
a very short time frame. This time, when I went to the site (the first time
I have had to go there in about 14 months), I clicked on the link to go to
the appeal listing form and it took me to the SBL page. You can find the
link I am referencing on this page:
http://www.spamcop.net/fom-serve/cache/298.html

I have searched all over the SpamCop website and the only way that I was to
able to contact them was via the Contact page. Is this a dead link or has
the form been removed.

In addition, I know that SpamCop uses honeypot email addresses. From my
understanding, the only people who should know these addresses are SpamCop
marshals. If that is the case, how do virus infected machines get these
honeypot addresses? Also, if these addresses are included as part of the
virus, how did the virus writer get the honeypot addresses?

My understanding was that the honeypot addresses were the most closely
guarded secret since the final resting place of the holy grail. If that is
the case, then there is no way that a virus infected machine or virus writer
or even a spammer using a spoofed address should know them to be able to
include them in their virus/spam. So, the question in my mind becomes why
did my email server receive an email with a spoofed honeypot address? Is it
time for SpamCop to retire its current honeypot addresses and create new
ones?

I would love to hear from an actual SpamCop marshal on these issues, not an
over zealot anti-spam advocate.

Thanks in advance,
William E. Smothers, MCSE
Acxiom Corporation