vBouncer: reduce server load by unsubscribing bouncing members from threads

vBouncer is a handy tool for busy forums (or those that do not require email verification) to control the amounts of bogus emails sent from and to your server.

What vBouncer does: vBouncer monitors your mail spool file, and identifies members responsible for large amounts of bounced emails. It then issues a PM warning, and when the unsubscribe threshold is met, it will will unsubscribe them for all threads, and sets them to the "no email" subscription level.

After a couple of runs, this should significantly reduce your server load.

Features:
o Manual or auto processing option
o Collect logs via IMAP/POP or mail spool file
o Custom filters to match patterns in bounced emails
o Uses vB's cron files (Scheduled tasks)
o Uses encrypted header for authentication (suggested by Paul M).
o Stats on members with bouncing emails, and error codes
o Tuning options
o Verbose cron logs for diagnostics
o Option to send PM warning prior to reaching the limit
o Option to send PM notifications after reaching the limit
o Option to change the member's subscription default
o Option to all thread subscriptions to "no email"
o Option to all forum subscriptions to "no email"
o Option to move offenders to a different primary usergroup
o Option to process 5.0.0/550 errors (email unknown) upon a single email, isntead of observing the bounce limit

Installation:
1. Extract the files into the corresponding directories (admincp => admincp, includes => includes)
2. Run the installation script in the admincp
3. Fill out the settings menu in the vBouncer section of the admin panel (see the how-to post below)
4. Import and activate the plugin file through the plugin manager.
5. Once ready, add the cron scripts to your scheduled tasks: vbouncer-collect.php (should be run daily, or more frequently) and vbouncer-clean.php (weekly, equal to Bounce limit period)
6. If you are using vB's SMTP email option, make sure to also enable the "-f" option.

Change log:

- August 12, 2005 v1.3 Update to the cron files to match new changes in vB's cron/tasks. To upgrade, just re-upload the contents of includes/cron.

- July 11, 2005 v1.2 Bug fix for some server/PHP setups; resolve aliases for return keys, otherwise some aliases would be considered forged.

- July 5, 2005 v1.1 Bug fix in standard report pattern matching

- July 4, 2005 v1.0 Added encrypted header for authentication (suggested by Paul M).

- July 3, 2005 v0.9.1 fixed a bug preventing IMAP/POP log collection.

- July 2, 2005 v0.9 added IMAP/POP option and custom filters file vbouncer.ini

- June 27, 2005 v0.5 Added custom header setting option, for re-written headers.

- June 26, 2005 v0.4 Found a way to make it work as a plugin, without code edits (thanks to Paul M)

- June 26, 2005 v0.3 No changes, just removed the plugin

- June 25, 2005 v0.2 Added NDR/Reply code errors to stats, and option to act upon 5.0.0/550 (user unknown)

- June 21, 2005: v 0.1 Initial release. Marked beta, but it's working fine on PostFix and SendMail. Need to hear from those who tried on QMail and Exim

[pran]

Yes, the plugin is active.

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by pran

Yes, the plugin is active.

What are your vBulletin email settings? Are you using SMTP? Do you use the -f option?

[pran]

I just enabled the -f option and this is what I received when I tested it again:

Microsoft Mail Internet Headers Version 2.0
Received: from mx1-out.bitstop.ph ([202.91.161.137]) by rizal.dagupan.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.1830);
	 Tue, 16 Aug 2005 06:24:46 +0800
Received: from irc.dagupan.com (irc.dagupan.com [202.91.161.246])
	by mx1-out.bitstop.ph (Postfix) with ESMTP id 94AAD198429
	for <xxxxxx@dagupan.com>; Tue, 16 Aug 2005 06:23:22 +0800 (PHT)
Received: by irc.dagupan.com (Postfix, from userid 80)
	id 52D0872DF1; Tue, 16 Aug 2005 06:23:45 +0800 (PHT)
To: xxxxxx@dagupan.com
Subject: vBulletin Email Test (With -f Parameter)
From: "kuro@bitstop.ph" <kuro@bitstop.ph>
Message-ID: <200508152245.650e9d317965@www.kuro.ph>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
X-Priority: 3
X-Mailer: vBulletin Mail via PHP
Date: Tue, 16 Aug 2005 06:23:45 +0800 (PHT)
Return-Path: kuro@bitstop.ph
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 15 Aug 2005 22:24:46.0437 (UTC) FILETIME=[245B3950:01C5A1E8]

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by pran

I just enabled the -f option and this is what I received when I tested it again:

Return-Path: kuro@bitstop.ph

Looks good, So it seems SMTP users need to enable -f. I'll add that to the instructions.

[pran]

Not quite, remember that my desired "Reply-To:" value should be vbouncer-notify@kuro.ph and not kuro@bitstop.ph (this is the webmaster e-mail).

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by pran

Not quite, remember that my desired "Reply-To:" value should be vbouncer-notify@kuro.ph and not kuro@bitstop.ph (this is the webmaster e-mail).

Hmm, so we now have had two different return paths and none of them is the one you set up? I can only think of wrong settings to cause this.

Double check all your settings, make sure the plugin is there, and activated, let me know your vB email settings and you vBouncer settings, then generate a subscription notifications (a reply to a thread) and let's check the headers.

[pran]

Hmm... for some reason, it's now sending as the vBouncer e-mail. However, I'm getting this in the logs:

vbounce.inc not found, or not readable. Only processing standard reports.

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by pran

Hmm... for some reason, it's now sending as the vBouncer e-mail. However, I'm getting this in the logs:

vbounce.inc not found, or not readable. Only processing standard reports.

Have you uploaded all the files?

[pran]

Yes, vbounce.inc is in the same directory as the cron files.

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by pran

Yes, vbounce.inc is in the same directory as the cron files.

And it has read permission set?

Are you running on a Windows server?