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Discussion on: Running own private email server and the problems?

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brandinchiu profile image
Brandin Chiu

Where you actually host the email server will have some implications with local law. For example, most consumer ISPs don't want mail traffic over their network, and would have a problem with you hosting an email server from home.

Incoming mail has a lot fewer concerns than sending mail, so your risks are relatively though.

However, what you've essentially created is the same thing as an unauthenticated api. This means there's always a risk for request flooding. Because your input is email, your ability to restrict and control traffic will be a bit harder as well.

I would suggest building some middle process that would work to reject as many obviously garbage requests as possible, so as to not flood whatever software is pushing your POST requests.

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nav_devl profile image
Naveen Honest Raj

Thanks @brandinchiu for the inputs. I wasn't aware of the local law and thanks for pointing that. I'll probably look into that.

And on the side of request-flooding, after you mentioned, now, I am thinking of adding SPAM FILTER alongside Postfix to filter (to some extent) and also thinking to add-in ratelimit or a queuing system to validate and then process towards POST request. Your inputs are very helpful, Brandin :))

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brandinchiu profile image
Brandin Chiu

Yeah this is really the only thing to worry about. Any filtering you can do will be helpful.

The last thing you'd want is to be running your server in the cloud and have something send you 2 million fake emails and run up your bill :)

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nav_devl profile image
Naveen Honest Raj

Hahaha! true that. :))