Password ignored for mailing list postings

Rolf Lindby

posted Mar 12 '11 at 2:12 am

When running Mercury as a service a newer version of the HTTP server should be used. This version communicates with Mercury via a command interface daemon, and works with Windows session 0 isolation. It can be downloaded here:

http://downloads.serieguide.se/webtools.zip

There isn't any support for mailing list settings, unfortunately.

/Rolf

When running Mercury as a service a newer version of the HTTP server should be used. This version&nbsp;communicates with Mercury&nbsp;via a command interface daemon, and works with Windows session 0 isolation. It can be downloaded here:http://downloads.serieguide.se/webtools.zipThere isn't any support for mailing list settings, unfortunately.&nbsp;/Rolf&nbsp;

collinm

posted Mar 8 '11 at 1:05 pm

I maintain a Mercury server with mailing lists and I've noticed that the setting files I received for it aren't working as described.

What was explained was that the configuration shown below would require a password before posting to the mailing list would succeed. This password is appended to the e-mail via a x-password header in the e-mail. I was told that posting to a mailing list without this password, or an incorrect one, would result in the mailing list not being triggered.

Unfortunately it is possible to trigger the mailing list without providing a password at all.

I've tried tweaking the settings so that the password is checked before the mailing list is triggered. Unfortunately I haven't succeeded in this as I can't find any documentation on the LISTS.MER file. And as the Mercury server runs as a Service I don't have the interface available to me.

Does anyone know how I can configure the LISTS.MER file entry for the mailing list in such a way that a password is required before the mailing list is executed?

(please note that the name of the mailinglist and the password has been changed as it's production information)
testmail
 File: E:\MERCURY\MAILINGLIST_MEMBERSHIPS\testmail.mlf
 Title: testmail <info@testmail.nl>
 Title_is_address: Y
 Welcome: testmail_welcome.txt
 Farewell: testmail_farewell.txt
 Enumerate: N
 Reply_to_list: N
 Anonymous: Y
 Public: Y
 Archive: testmail~Y~M.txt
 Fanout: 10
 Concealed: Y
 Maximum_Size: 204800
 Confirm_subs: Y
 CS_Template: testmail_confirm.txt
 Mod_redirect: Y
 Password_Posting: N
 Posting_password: #################
 P_Password_File: N
 Prefixing: 0
 S_Password_File: N
 VERP_mode: 1
 VERP_maxerrs: 3
 VERP_flags: 256
 VERP_filename:
 List_ID: 133
 Def_Password:
 Auto_Password: N

I maintain a Mercury server with mailing lists and I've noticed that the setting files I received for it aren't working as described. What was explained was that the configuration shown below would require a password before posting to the mailing list would succeed. This password is appended to the e-mail via a x-password header in the e-mail. I was told that posting to a mailing list without this password, or an incorrect one, would result in the mailing list not being triggered. Unfortunately it is possible to trigger the mailing list without providing a password at all. I've tried tweaking the settings so that the password is checked before the mailing list is triggered. Unfortunately I haven't succeeded in this as I can't find any documentation on the LISTS.MER file. And as the Mercury server runs as a Service I don't have the interface available to me. Does anyone know how I can configure the LISTS.MER file entry for the mailing list in such a way that a password is required before the mailing list is executed? (please note that the name of the mailinglist and the password has been changed as it's production information) testmail &nbsp;&nbsp; File:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; E:\MERCURY\MAILINGLIST_MEMBERSHIPS\testmail.mlf &nbsp;&nbsp; Title:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; testmail &lt;info@testmail.nl&gt; &nbsp;&nbsp; Title_is_address: Y &nbsp;&nbsp; Welcome:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; testmail_welcome.txt &nbsp;&nbsp; Farewell:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; testmail_farewell.txt &nbsp;&nbsp; Enumerate:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; N &nbsp;&nbsp; Reply_to_list:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; N &nbsp;&nbsp; Anonymous:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Y &nbsp;&nbsp; Public:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Y &nbsp;&nbsp; Archive:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; testmail~Y~M.txt &nbsp;&nbsp; Fanout:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 10 &nbsp;&nbsp; Concealed:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Y &nbsp;&nbsp; Maximum_Size:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 204800 &nbsp;&nbsp; Confirm_subs:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Y &nbsp;&nbsp; CS_Template:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; testmail_confirm.txt &nbsp;&nbsp; Mod_redirect:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Y &nbsp;&nbsp; Password_Posting: N &nbsp;&nbsp; Posting_password: ################# &nbsp;&nbsp; P_Password_File:&nbsp; N &nbsp;&nbsp; Prefixing:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0 &nbsp;&nbsp; S_Password_File:&nbsp; N &nbsp;&nbsp; VERP_mode:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 &nbsp;&nbsp; VERP_maxerrs:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 3 &nbsp;&nbsp; VERP_flags:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 256 &nbsp;&nbsp; VERP_filename:&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; List_ID:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 133 &nbsp;&nbsp; Def_Password:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Auto_Password:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; N

Thomas R. Stephenson

posted Mar 8 '11 at 8:52 pm

> I maintain a Mercury server with mailing lists and I've noticed that the setting files I received for it aren't working as described.
>
> What was explained was that the configuration shown below would require a password before posting to the mailing list would succeed.
> This password is appended to the e-mail via a x-password header in the e-mail. I was told that posting to a mailing list without this
> password, or an incorrect one, would result in the mailing list not being triggered.

This is what the help says:

Require an X-Password field with a valid password for submissions

When this control is checked, Mercury will only accept messages for submission to the list if it can find an X-Password header field in the message's headers, and that header contains either a valid moderator password or a valid subscriber password (see below). Many mail clients will permit you to add custom headers to messages - in Pegasus Mail, for instance, you would add the X-Password field in the Special view of the Message Editor window.

>
> Unfortunately it is possible to trigger the mailing list without providing a password at all.
>
> I've tried tweaking the settings so that the password is checked before the mailing list is triggered. Unfortunately I haven't
> succeeded in this as I can't find any documentation on the LISTS.MER file. And as the Mercury server runs as a Service I don't have the
> interface available to me.
>
> Does anyone know how I can configure the LISTS.MER file entry for the mailing list in such a way that a password is required before the
> mailing list is executed?
>
> (please note that the name of the mailinglist and the password has been changed as it's production information)
> testmail
> File: E:\MERCURY\MAILINGLIST_MEMBERSHIPS\testmail.mlf
> Title: testmail <info@testmail.nl>
> Title_is_address: Y
> Welcome: testmail_welcome.txt
> Farewell: testmail_farewell.txt
> Enumerate: N
> Reply_to_list: N
> Anonymous: Y
> Public: Y
> Archive: testmail~Y~M.txt
> Fanout: 10
> Concealed: Y
> Maximum_Size: 204800
> Confirm_subs: Y
> CS_Template: testmail_confirm.txt
> Mod_redirect: Y
> Password_Posting: N
> Posting_password: #################
> P_Password_File: N
> Prefixing: 0
> S_Password_File: N
> VERP_mode: 1
> VERP_maxerrs: 3
> VERP_flags: 256
> VERP_filename:
> List_ID: 133
> Def_Password:
> Auto_Password: N

Here's my test list and it rejects without a password.

test
   File:             C:\MERCURY\MERCURY\test.mlf
   Title:            Test List
   Welcome:          Standard
   Farewell:         Standard
   Moderator:        thomas@novell-tstephenson.com
   Moderator:        techsupp@tstephenson.com
   Moderator:        technical.support@tstephenson.com
   Enumerate:        N
   Reply_to_list:    Y
   Public:           Y
   List_Headers:     3
   List_Signature:   c:\mercury\sigtest.mer
   Confirm_subs:     Y
   CS_Template:      c:\mercury\confirms.mer
   Mod_redirect:     N
   Password_Posting: Y
   Posting_password: one2345six7 (fake password)
   P_Password_File: N
   Prefixing:        0
   No_stripping:     Y
   S_Password_File: N
   VERP_mode:        1
   VERP_maxerrs:     3
   VERP_flags:       0
   VERP_filename:
   List_ID:          100
   Def_Password:
   Auto_Password:    N

And the difference I see is that you have not turned on Password Posting.

&gt; I maintain a Mercury server with mailing lists and I've noticed that the setting files I received for it aren't working as described. &gt; &gt; What was explained was that the configuration shown below would require a password before posting to the mailing list would succeed. &gt; This password is appended to the e-mail via a x-password header in the e-mail. I was told that posting to a mailing list without this &gt; password, or an incorrect one, would result in the mailing list not being triggered. This is what the help says: Require an X-Password field with a valid password for submissions &nbsp; When this control is checked, Mercury will only accept messages for submission to the list if it can find an X-Password header field in the message's headers, and that header contains either a valid moderator password or a valid subscriber password (see below). Many mail clients will permit you to add custom headers to messages - in Pegasus Mail, for instance, you would add the X-Password field in the Special view of the Message Editor window. &nbsp; &gt; &gt; Unfortunately it is possible to trigger the mailing list without providing a password at all. &gt; &gt; I've tried tweaking the settings so that the password is checked before the mailing list is triggered. Unfortunately I haven't &gt; succeeded in this as I can't find any documentation on the LISTS.MER file. And as the Mercury server runs as a Service I don't have the &gt; interface available to me. &gt; &gt; Does anyone know how I can configure the LISTS.MER file entry for the mailing list in such a way that a password is required before the &gt; mailing list is executed? &gt; &gt; (please note that the name of the mailinglist and the password has been changed as it's production information) &gt; testmail &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; File:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; E:\MERCURY\MAILINGLIST_MEMBERSHIPS\testmail.mlf &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Title:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; testmail &lt;info@testmail.nl&gt; &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Title_is_address: Y &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Welcome:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; testmail_welcome.txt &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Farewell:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; testmail_farewell.txt &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Enumerate:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; N &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Reply_to_list:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; N &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Anonymous:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Y &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Public:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Y &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Archive:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; testmail~Y~M.txt &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Fanout:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 10 &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Concealed:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Y &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Maximum_Size:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 204800 &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Confirm_subs:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Y &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; CS_Template:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; testmail_confirm.txt &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Mod_redirect:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Y &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Password_Posting: N &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Posting_password: ################# &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; P_Password_File:&nbsp; N &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Prefixing:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0 &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; S_Password_File:&nbsp; N &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; VERP_mode:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; VERP_maxerrs:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 3 &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; VERP_flags:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 256 &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; VERP_filename:&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; List_ID:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 133 &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Def_Password:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Auto_Password:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; N Here's my test list and it rejects without a password. test &nbsp;&nbsp; File:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; C:\MERCURY\MERCURY\test.mlf &nbsp;&nbsp; Title:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Test List &nbsp;&nbsp; Welcome:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Standard &nbsp;&nbsp; Farewell:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Standard &nbsp;&nbsp; Moderator:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; thomas@novell-tstephenson.com &nbsp;&nbsp; Moderator:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; techsupp@tstephenson.com &nbsp;&nbsp; Moderator:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; technical.support@tstephenson.com &nbsp;&nbsp; Enumerate:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; N &nbsp;&nbsp; Reply_to_list:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Y &nbsp;&nbsp; Public:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Y &nbsp;&nbsp; List_Headers:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 3 &nbsp;&nbsp; List_Signature:&nbsp;&nbsp; c:\mercury\sigtest.mer &nbsp;&nbsp; Confirm_subs:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Y &nbsp;&nbsp; CS_Template:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; c:\mercury\confirms.mer &nbsp;&nbsp; Mod_redirect:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; N &nbsp;&nbsp; Password_Posting: Y &nbsp;&nbsp; Posting_password: one2345six7 (fake password) &nbsp;&nbsp; P_Password_File:&nbsp; N &nbsp;&nbsp; Prefixing:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0 &nbsp;&nbsp; No_stripping:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Y &nbsp;&nbsp; S_Password_File:&nbsp; N &nbsp;&nbsp; VERP_mode:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 &nbsp;&nbsp; VERP_maxerrs:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 3 &nbsp;&nbsp; VERP_flags:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0 &nbsp;&nbsp; VERP_filename:&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; List_ID:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 100 &nbsp;&nbsp; Def_Password:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Auto_Password:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; N And the difference I see is that you have not turned on Password Posting.

collinm

posted Mar 10 '11 at 2:39 pm

That was indeed the problem. Strange thing is I tested this with "Password_Posting: Y" and waited a bit so that the Mercury would pick up the changes (I reverted the setting when it didn't have the effect I thought it would have).

Seems the polling interval/parsing time takes longer than I thought it would. What is the exact polling interval for the LIST.MER file?

That was indeed the problem. Strange thing is I tested this with "Password_Posting: Y" and waited a bit so that the Mercury would pick up the changes (I reverted the setting when it didn't have the effect I thought it would have).Seems the polling interval/parsing time takes longer than I thought it would. What is the exact polling interval for the LIST.MER file?

Thomas R. Stephenson

posted Mar 10 '11 at 6:14 pm

Seems the polling interval/parsing time takes longer than I thought it
would. What is the exact polling interval for the LIST.MER file?

Not exactly sure what you mean here, the changes to the list.mer should be immediate when you hit the close after making the change, If the mailing list GUI is open for changes though nothing is changed.

<blockquote>Seems the polling interval/parsing time takes longer than I thought it would. What is the exact polling interval for the LIST.MER file?</blockquote>&nbsp;Not exactly sure what you mean here, the changes to the list.mer should be immediate when you hit the close after making the change,&nbsp;&nbsp; If the mailing list GUI is open for changes though nothing is changed.&nbsp;

collinm

posted Mar 11 '11 at 2:53 pm

[quote user="Thomas R. Stephenson"]

Seems the polling interval/parsing time takes longer than I thought it
would. What is the exact polling interval for the LIST.MER file?

Not exactly sure what you mean here, the changes to the list.mer should be immediate when you hit the close after making the change, If the mailing list GUI is open for changes though nothing is changed.

[/quote]

Well I don't use a GUI, Mercury runs as a service. So all setting changes are done by changing settings in the configuration files. So that might explain the confusion. ;)

[quote user="Thomas R. Stephenson"]<blockquote>Seems the polling interval/parsing time takes longer than I thought it would. What is the exact polling interval for the LIST.MER file?</blockquote>&nbsp;Not exactly sure what you mean here, the changes to the list.mer should be immediate when you hit the close after making the change,&nbsp;&nbsp; If the mailing list GUI is open for changes though nothing is changed.[/quote]&nbsp;Well I don't use a GUI, Mercury runs as a service. So all setting changes are done by changing settings in the configuration files. So that might explain the confusion. ;)

Thomas R. Stephenson

posted Mar 11 '11 at 5:19 pm

[quote user="collinm"][quote user="Thomas R. Stephenson"]

Seems the polling interval/parsing time takes longer than I thought it
would. What is the exact polling interval for the LIST.MER file?

Not exactly sure what you mean here, the changes to the list.mer should be immediate when you hit the close after making the change, If the mailing list GUI is open for changes though nothing is changed.

[/quote]

Well I don't use a GUI, Mercury runs as a service. So all setting changes are done by changing settings in the configuration files. So that might explain the confusion. ;)

[/quote]

I also run Mercury as a service but I use NT Wrapper to run the service and it allows me to use the GUI to manage the XP Workstation server. If I were running on a real server like Windows 2003 and later this form would not be allowed. David does have a remote manager in process (no date for even an ALPHA release to the testers) that will allow Mercury to run as a service and remotely managed using a GUI interface. Have you looked at Rolf's HTTP Server for web access to the server?

There is a Mercury/32 HTTP server available that will help you manage the Mercury/32. This server was developed by Rolf Lindby <rolf@serieguide.se> and is available at

http://83.140.29.200/HTTPServer.zip

At present the trayicon will probably not survive a restart of explorer.exe, but other than that it should work as expected.

[quote user="collinm"][quote user="Thomas R. Stephenson"]<blockquote>Seems the polling interval/parsing time takes longer than I thought it would. What is the exact polling interval for the LIST.MER file?</blockquote>&nbsp;Not exactly sure what you mean here, the changes to the list.mer should be immediate when you hit the close after making the change,&nbsp;&nbsp; If the mailing list GUI is open for changes though nothing is changed.[/quote]&nbsp;Well I don't use a GUI, Mercury runs as a service. So all setting changes are done by changing settings in the configuration files. So that might explain the confusion. ;) [/quote]&nbsp;I also run Mercury as a service but I use NT Wrapper to run the service and it allows me to use the GUI to manage the XP Workstation server.&nbsp; If I were running on a real server like Windows 2003 and later this form would not be allowed.&nbsp; David does have a remote manager in process (no date for even an ALPHA release to the testers) that will allow Mercury to run as a service and remotely managed using a GUI interface.&nbsp; Have you looked at Rolf's HTTP Server for web access to the server?There is a Mercury/32 HTTP server available that will help you manage the Mercury/32.&nbsp; This server was developed by Rolf Lindby &lt;rolf@serieguide.se&gt; and is available at http://83.140.29.200/HTTPServer.zip At present the trayicon will probably not survive a restart of explorer.exe, but other than that it should work as expected. &nbsp;

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