ARCHIVED: On my LISTSERV list, what security settings are available?
Note: IU retired its LISTSERV system in spring 2012, replacing it with IU List, a new mailing list service. See About IU List
LISTSERV mailing lists have become a prime target for spam. If you maintain a LISTSERV mailing list, you can protect your subscribers from unwanted or harassing messages by setting a personal password and using certain keyword settings in your list's header.
Use a personal password
Set up a personal password for each list you own to prevent a hacker from making changes to your list by spoofing your email address. Finding a list owner's email address and spoofing email are not difficult to do, and thus your list is vulnerable to attack until you set a personal password; see ARCHIVED: In LISTSERV, how do I set or change a personal password?
Recommended keyword settings
To protect your subscribers from unwanted messages, UITS recommends the following keyword settings:
Keyword and setting | Explanation |
---|---|
Attachment= No | Only plain text and HTML text
attachments will be posted to the list. All other types will be
rejected.
|
Confidential= Yes | The web advertises a global list of
mailing lists, which is available to the general public. Use this
setting to prevent your list from appearing globally.
Note: At Indiana University, when you create a LISTSERV list, it is confidential unless you specifically request that the list be public. If you want to advertise your list, don't use this keyword. |
Editor=
username@hostname.domain ,username2@hostname.domain |
Replace the generic email addresses with the addresses of your
list's editors (i.e., those people who can post directly to your
list).
|
Moderator=
All, username@hostname.domain ,username2@hostname.domain |
A moderated list has at least one editor (i.e., moderator) who
reviews all messages sent to the list, and decides whether or not
messages should be posted to the list (i.e., sent out to the
subscribers). Spam is less likely to appear on a moderated list,
because all incoming messages are reviewed and approved before they
are posted to the list.
With this setting, postings will go to all moderators for approval. Replace the generic email addresses with the addresses of those people who will be moderating your list. |
Review= Owner | The Review keyword controls who may view the
email addresses and names of the subscribers on a list. With this
setting, only the list owner can review the subscriber list.
|
Send= Editor,Hold,Confirm
or |
The Send keyword controls
who may post mail to the list. With this setting, any file or piece of
mail sent to the list will be forwarded to the list editor(s),
allowing the editor(s) to make changes before a message is
posted. Messages will be held for a period of time (usually seven
days) until an editor confirms the message with the OK
mechanism. Unconfirmed messages will expire and be purged by
LISTSERV. Postings coming directly from an editor must be confirmed
with the OK mechanism.
|
Send= Private,Confirm or | With this setting, only subscribers can post to the list, but each
message must be confirmed by a moderator.
|
Send= Public,Confirm | With this setting, anyone is allowed to
post to the list, but each message must be confirmed by a moderator.
|
Subscription= By_Owner or | The Subscription
keyword controls who can subscribe to your list. With this setting,
the list owner will receive all subscription requests for approval.
|
Subscription= Closed | With this setting, subscription
requests are not allowed. Only the owner will be able to add new
subscribers.
|
Validate= Yes,Confirm | The Validate keyword sets the level of
password validation that is required for list maintenance
commands. With this setting, list maintenance commands must be
validated using the OK mechanism. Personal passwords will be accepted
where appropriate.
|
For more, see ARCHIVED: On my LISTSERV list, how can I modify the list header? and ARCHIVED: What information is stored in a LISTSERV list header file?
This is document aeck in the Knowledge Base.
Last modified on 2018-01-18 12:24:31.