How can I prohibit email being sent from account, if the domain is not active?

[jols]

Every so often, a spammer will sign up for a hosting account, and then attempt to log directly into their webmail, to broadcast spam. And of course they have no intention of using any active domain in the account. It's usually just a hit-n-run kind of thing.

So my question: Is it possible to deny email sending in a cPanel account, using webmail if there is no active domain in the account?

BTW, I asked this same question back on 2008, in this forum and never received any response.

 

[cPanelMichael]

Hello

You could disable the Webmail feature for the feature list assigned to the account's package via "WHM Home » Packages » Feature Manager". However, sending email from the account username through other methods will be possible unless the account is suspended. You may want to open a feature request for the ability to disable email completely via:

Submit A Feature Request

The following thread may also be useful to you:

Block one domain name from sending email

Thank you.

 

[jols]

Okay, thanks for your response.

It seems as if there should be some kind of "authenticated sender" protocol we could use within the EXIM configuration, which would require an active domain in the account before sending. I understand how we can deny webmail and block domains from sending, but this is really not feasible to put this on some sort of schedule for new accounts, then checking their domain daily to see if it is active yet, etc. Whereas a simple rule that says, you must have an active domain on the server before sending email, similar to cPanel's current default option, you must have an active domain that directs traffic to the server before parking it to your account.

And, sorry, but I really don't trust the Submit a Feature Request option. For something like 7 years, I've had the feature request submitted to simply remove the "unlimited" quota setting on email accounts. And this never gets addressed, so I can't imagine that any other feature request would get any attention either.

Thanks again.

 

[jols]

Discovery - It appears that there is a way to get at least partially to my goal in this regard:

Exim: Restrict Authenticated Outgoing Email with Sender Domain | takizo, not takezo

At least there is a way to restrict the FROM/REPLY-TO to a domain in the localdomains file. Now if I could only find a routine that also checks to make sure that local domain directs traffic to (is active on) the local server before sending the email.

 

[Infopro]

...

And, sorry, but I really don't trust the Submit a Feature Request option. For something like 7 years, I've had the feature request submitted to simply remove the "unlimited" quota setting on email accounts. And this never gets addressed, so I can't imagine that any other feature request would get any attention either.
...

This topic could be considered the poster child of why the new Feature Request System is more valuable to make use of than the old Forums Feature Requests, or even bugzilla, before that.

This is not a complete list, there are many all over these forums. You can google this to find more:
site:forums.cpanel.net remove the "unlimited" quota setting on email accounts

Lack of organization of the many threads on this topic over the years, lost, because no one cared enough to search for other threads and sign onto them. Those that did, the threads below, go an average of 2 pages long. No many replies. Several of them, the same users replying in them.

Is there a way to remove "unlimited" as an email quota option in cPanel? - cPanel Forums
Disable Unlimited Mail Quotas [Case 59844] - cPanel Forums
cPanel 11 - How do I change the default email quota? - cPanel Forums
Mail Quota at package level - cPanel Forums
Email Quota Separate - cPanel Forums
More control over mail quotas for accounts - cPanel Forums
Limit Email Quota Size? - cPanel Forums

Keep in mind that most of the Feature Requests from the forums were copied over to the new Feature Requests System. How are those going? Let's do a few searches over there and find out:

cPanel Feature Requests Search Result: Email Quota Separate - cPanel Feature Requests
cPanel Feature Requests Search Result: Remove Unlimited Quota - cPanel Feature Requests
cPanel Feature Requests Search Result: Mail Quota - cPanel Feature Requests

Not well, IMHO. Not well at all. To add here, case #59844 opened by David Grega in 2012 (mentioned in one of the threads above) has had zero replies in the internal system.

So, while it does certainly appear that there are folks who would like this to be fixed, or a new Feature Added to control it, there does not seem to be enough interest in it overall by the Community at large. And that's how its done.

Having had a request in from 7 years ago, doesn't get the job done. Gauging the interest in a way that the Developers can see and react to, is more important. And that is done, on the Feature Requests site.

You don't have to trust the Feature Requests System, as you state, but, I can assure you that starting a new thread every few years is not how it's going to be resolved to your satisfaction.

Getting involved on the Feature Requests System, is:
cPanel Feature Requests System Login & Introduction Page

 

[jols]

Thanks but part of my disappointment here, is that no one should even have to make a feature request for this one.

Imagine for a second that you are a web hosting provider, who also offers email accounts. Now, you happen to have hundreds of members who simply set UNLIMITED as their email quota, but then they walk away and never look at their email accounts ever again.

Now, years go by and you find that your giant and very expensive RAID systems are filling up thereby diminishing your capacity to create new accounts, that is, without having to install new servers at an even greater cost. Why are they filling up? Mostly due to the massive numbers of Gigabytes from years worth of spam/junk/crap email in these long forgotten, hundreds and hundreds of UNLIMITED quota email accounts.

With all due respect, do you really think this should require a feature request? Wouldn't that be a little like sending a feature request to Ford Motors, asking that their SUVs don't so easily flip over and catch fire?

 

[Infopro]

The topic has been discussed in the past, and I've weighed in on it already. On the Feature Requests site I believe.

Imagine for a second that you are a web hosting provider, who also offers email accounts. Now, you have hundreds of members who simply set UNLIMITED as their email quota, but then they walk away and never look at their email accounts ever again.

I don't have to imagine this at all, I'm living it, with you. But, my feelings are, if I sell an account with a 4GB quota, that's what they get. If it fills up with email, or wordpress installations for all their friends, they run out of space. They can buy more, or clean up the account.

Now, years go by, and you find that your giant and very expensive RAID systems are filling up diminishing your capacity to create new accounts without having to install new servers.

Are you speaking of overselling here?

I sold a 4GB account, it's up to the user how he wants to use it. On my end, I can only create so many 4GB accounts before I need to add servers.

You really think this should be a feature request?

You really have to ask me this after the previous post? Yes.

Wouldn't that be a little like sending a feature request to Ford Motors so they SUVs do not so easily flip over and catch fire?

No. And these sort of comments are not helpful to your cause I don't think.

One more question: are you signed onto any of those Feature Requests I've linked you to?

 

[jols]

No, absolutely zero overselling goes on here. To be able to maintain enough overhead, precisely without overselling the server space, we need to keep putting new servers on line.

What's the point in hosting an account with, for example, 250mb of actual, currently used web data, etc. plus 5GB of years of useless spam garbage from unused but UNLIMITED quota email accounts? Are you suggesting that this should considered as the norm when using the cPanel system?

 

[jols]

To answer your other question, yes I did indeed make the feature request years ago, but I no longer have the link. What's the use of keeping track of something that literally goes unaddressed for years?

Call me a poster child, but I've long ago given up on any other solution than to hack up my own custom cPanel templates, just-and-only for the purpose of removing UNLIMITED from the email quota pull down menu.

 

[Infopro]

I am suggesting better educating your users if the space they use, shouldn't all be used for email, according to you and any other Hosting Provider who wants to limit my mailbox size.

I understand the idea you present of course, and the ones posted already to the Feature Requests site. And, although I have no urge to offer unlimited hosting with restrictions to email accounts, I did vote yes, and comment on this Feature a few weeks ago:
Set an overall quota for Email - cPanel Feature Requests

5 comments, 2 votes, neither of them yours.

 

[Infopro]

To answer your other question, yes I did indeed make the feature request years ago, but I no longer have the link. What's the use of keeping track of something that literally goes unaddressed for years?

You keep track of it to monitor the progress, and interest by others who agree with you on the need for it.

Call me a poster child, but I've long ago given up on any other solution than to hack up my own custom cPanel templates, just-and-only for the purpose of removing UNLIMITED from the email quota pull down menu.

I called you nothing. I said the topic could be the poster child for why you should be taking better advantage of the Feature Requests System.