US Cable Support > Cox HSI > [AZ] Cox Scanning/Reading Outbound messages

[AZ] Cox Scanning/Reading Outbound messages

Have you run anti-virus/anti-trojan software to ensure just to make sure there is nothing on the computer that may have triggered this?

Cox isn't going to read your email but I'm rather certain the software they use filters certain criteria before labeling an email spam.

reply to Testing12345
I ran into the same thing with an automated app that sends emails out to my SMS address and vbulletin board. It was snagging them all. Oh well... I used another SMTP service.
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SouthWest Louisiana PC Users Group »www.swlapcug.com

reply to Testing12345
After doing some testing... Looks like if there is a link in the message body that has an .exe in it it gets blocked. Guess this means no more direct links for downloads. Sharing a link to a shareware program apparently is bad.

The funny part is... killmypc.bat is ok. And executable com files are fine.

Remember this is just a link that is being sent... Not a file etc.

Cox needs to stay out of my personal mail...

It kills a lot of my messages too, just simple stuff like a link or cartoon, very frustrating and none of the Cox suggested work-arounds seem to work for me. What is working for me is to add a signature to all my outgoing e-mail messages that is a collection of good words harvested from my Bayesian mail filter.

I have finally switched almost all of my spam reporting and similar activities to the Google SMTP server they offer with a Gmail account. It works quite well for most stuff I send.

reply to Testing12345
Would someone create and post a generic email that has gotten blocked so others can test this blocking issue.

Is Cox SMTP blocking the message or is the receiving parties ISP or mail provider doing the blocking?

Also what email program and is mail sent through webmail also affected? I have not had an email returned, Yet.

Your message did not reach some or all of the intended recipients.

Subject: test
Sent: 8/2/2010 5:34 PM

The following recipient(s) cannot be reached:

'XXXXX@cox.net' on 8/2/2010 5:34 PM
552 5.2.0 pca61e00S1TQtnE04ca6Z0 This message was undeliverable. This message has been found to be a potential spam message, and has therefore been blocked. Please visit »coxagainstspam.cox.net for more information.

XXXXX is my mail address... I mailed myself. Its the same where ever you send it to. I took the same message and sent it to myself through gmail and it comes in fine. Incoming ok... Outgoing blocked.

While you are fixing things perhaps you could train your support staff on the basics of how email works. That and not hanging up on customers. Oh before I forget... the supervisors had no clue how things work either and I got dumped over to abuse@cox.net for a canned email.

VERY VERY POOR SERVICE.

My screen name was picked just to identify my ISP and Location. I am in no way associated with Cox, other than a customer, I am not an employee or contractor.

Now would you post a message I can experiment with please.

reply to Testing12345

Re: [AZ] Cox Scanning/Reading Outbound messages

reply to Testing12345
How do you think anti spamm works if not by heuristic tests on mail headers and body text? Its not someone sitting down and reading every email you send. If I wanted to do that, I would set up a packet sniffer as you send email out without SSL on your SMTP. Its a automated sub-routine. Its as much a privacy concern as spell check. Google does it, yahoo does it, any email service with a anti-spamm service does it. Granted, Cox does it badly, but if your that concerned about privacy, run your own server.

I have run DOZENS of anti spamm setups for several large corps. They have to be checked, tuned etc. No way around it. If you think different you are very mistaken. Most companies CANNOT afford to loose legitimate email to a piece of software. The cost of business...

Can you guess how its tuned? By reading the blocked emails. By moving things to a white list. Regardless of how much programing you do... IT STILL HAS TO BE MANAGED.

reply to Testing12345
I solved my own issue... Well its really not solvable lol. But at least now I know whats going on.

Cox's is implimenting a new antivirus region by region. One of the other forums I posted in had a bunch of folks testing it. Pretty comical as far as what all it blocks and does not block. Rename a file as a microsoft patch and the real virus goes through. Make a legitimate link and it blocks it.

Welcome to forced antivirus... No way to opt out that I can see.

With cox usenet gone and mail borked I think its time for an ISP change. Really no reason to stay with competitors offering the same speed and better.

»ww2.cox.com/residential/tulsa/su···00000%7D

[rant]

said by link :

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Anti-Virus Protection is compatible with any email software and all operating systems (Windows and Macintosh).

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reply to TESTING12345
I never said they werent managed, I meant that individual emails were not monitored. When you get a report for a false negative or a false positive, its usually only when a customer reports it as such yes? When a rule like the one he discussed is triggered, I doabt its flagged. Its automated trigger, and there for not read by any person. And even if they were, were talking about 1 or two people for the purpose of technical necessity. Its like people at the bank knowing your credit card number, they have to do their job.

reply to TESTING12345

reply to Testing12345
Looks like everyone is going to have to switch over to PGP.

"Preventing you from emailing your friends and family. Your friends in the digital age."

MAX IS ROLLING IN HIS GRAVE!

hah

reply to hard harry
There is a big difference between someone looking at my account balance and someone reading my personal messages.

When tuning systems we used to read through hundreds of emails both incoming and out going. Thats a given when working at a big corporation. You know your email is open to scrutiny.

My personal mail is a different story. I do not want it scanned, read etc by some company flunkie or company software while they tune thier system.

I have had my mail account at cox since the beginning and before that when it was called @home. All of a sudden not being able to rely on my email being sent and recieved is unnaceptable. I now have to notify hundreds of people of my address change / ISP Change. This turns into a real nightmare.

The system they are implementing is very flawed. Using tiny url or other directors bypasses it. Spoofing urls bypasses it. You get the idea... Spammers, trojans viruses will continue and customers will have to pay the price with mail that does not function.