[Nottingham] Challenge-Response systems

[Peter Chang]

On Fri, 4 Nov 2005, Martin wrote:

> Peter Chang wrote:
> [---]
> > But the system in question has asked me more than once even though I have
> > never sent emails directly to it! And no, I don't want to be validated.
> 
> Real or forged or collateral damage from SPAM with your email address 
> forged in there?

Nope, it seems like it has bugs and issued its last challenge in response
to my replying to Java Lynx's email of 11th August.

> > This message has been checked for viruses but the contents of an
> attachment
> 
> Are you the unlucky victim of another victim that has your email address 
> in their Outlook Express (or other) address book?

I have been but I don't see how that's relevant to the quoted text.

Peter

PS Here's all the gory details of the challenge (several emails amended to
protect the innocent):

>From antispam at tuxgames.com
Return-path: <antispam at tuxgames.com>
Envelope-to: etzpc at unix dot ccc.nottingham.ac.uk
Delivery-date: Thu, 11 Aug 2005 21:09:35 +0100
Received: from britten.is.nottingham.ac.uk ([128.243.40.95])
	by drayton.ccc.nottingham.ac.uk with esmtp (Exim 4.30)
	id 1E3JMt-0002LE-Dv
	for etzpc at unix.ccc.nottingham.ac.uk; Thu, 11 Aug 2005 21:09:35 +0100
Received: from tuxgames.com ([81.168.26.52])
	by britten.is.nottingham.ac.uk with esmtp (Exim 3.36 #2)
	id 1E3JMx-00068u-00
	for peter dot chang at nottingham.ac.uk; Thu, 11 Aug 2005 21:09:39
+0100
Received: from antispam by tuxgames.com with local (Exim 4.43)
	id 1E3JMp-0000j3-2p; Thu, 11 Aug 2005 21:09:31 +0100
From: Tux Games Anti-Spam System <antispam at tuxgames.com>
To: peter dot chang at nottingham.ac.uk,nottingham at mailman.lug.org.uk
Subject: Tux Games Antispam - Your message is being held
Reply-To: antispam at tuxgames.com
Message-Id: <E1E3JMp-0000j3-2p at tuxgames.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2005 21:09:31 +0100
X-MailScanner-Information: Please contact
    staff-it-helpline at nottingham.ac.uk for more information
X-MailScanner: Found to be clean
X-MailScanner-From: antispam at tuxgames.com

Thank you for emailing javalynx at email dot com.

Due to exceptionally high volumes of Spam Mail, we have been forced to
introduce a new anti-spam policy. This requires anyone sending us email to
register their address with us as a real person. You will ONLY EVER NEED TO
DO THIS ONCE for each email address you use to send us email. As soon as you
have validated your email, you will be accepted to send email to all of our
email addresses permanently.

Please note: Until your email address is validated, your email is NOT viewed
by any human and will not be read.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause, but the amount of spam we
received was costing us a lot of time and money, and we hope you understand
the need.

To ensure we receive your latest email, you should simply follow the link
below and follow the instructions on the web page you are taken to.

Your email will be stored for seven days before being deleted as spam

http://www.tuxgames.com/mailauth.cgi?mailid=Pine.GSO.4.21.0508112042120.20666%2D100000%40granby.ccc.nottingham.ac.uk

Thanks for emailing Tux Games


                     Tux Games Postmaster Antispam Facility



This message has been checked for viruses but the contents of an attachment
may still contain software viruses, which could damage your computer system:
you are advised to perform your own checks. Email communications with the
University of Nottingham may be monitored as permitted by UK legislation.