What is an open email relay? An open email relay is an email server that allows anyone to send email through it. No authorization is required. Open email relays are a primary source of spam because they allow anyone to send anything.[1] What is a proxy server? A proxy server is a server interposed between a client application, such as a Web browser, and a source server. Proxy servers must not permit unauthorized or unauthenticated use of University services or resources.[2] Open email relays and unauthorized proxy servers will be disconnected from UCSC's network.[3] (Back to Minimum Requirements Main Page)

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What should you do?

Don’t know if you are running an open email relay or a proxy server? If you are running either at all, it would be because you had set one up, and presumedly you would know about it. Or a hacker could have broken into your machine and set one up.

Signs you're running an open email relay include alerts from your anti-virus or anti-spyware software or your firewall.

For proxy servers, if your computer's firewall is enabled and the various "sharing"and "remote access"-related options are not enabled in the firewall or "sharing" system preferences, you are probably OK.

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GETTING HELP:

Contact the ITS Support Center or your ITS Divisional Liaison with questions or concerns about any of this information.

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[1] See Wikipedia for additional information about open email relays
[2] See Wikipedia for additional information about open proxy servers
[3] See UCSC's Minimum Network Connectivity Requirements

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(Back to Minimum Requirements Main Page)