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

[tamarian]

- August 12, 2005 v1.3 Update to the cron files to match new changes in vB's cron/tasks in 3.5 RC2. To upgrade, just re-upload the contents of includes/cron in the vBouncer zip file.

[Boofo]

Originally Posted by tamarian

It's a vB bug, and here's the fix:

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/bugs3...=931&status=20

Also, I will need to make a change to the vBouncer cron files to mach the new vB cron changes, I'll upload them shortly as v1.3

You're welcome. )

[pran]

Originally Posted by tamarian

- August 12, 2005 v1.3 Update to the cron files to match new changes in vB's cron/tasks in 3.5 RC2. To upgrade, just re-upload the contents of includes/cron in the vBouncer zip file.

Wow! Thanks for the quick update. BTW, what instances would the header change to the vBouncer e-mail address? Outgoing e-mails from my server is still www@fqdn.

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by pran

Wow! Thanks for the quick update. BTW, what instances would the header change to the vBouncer e-mail address? Outgoing e-mails from my server is still www@fqdn.

vBouncer will NOT change the "From:" header. It only changes/adds a "Return-To:" header.

[pran]

Strange... I tried sending a test e-mail but I couldn't find "Return-To:" anywhere in the header.

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by pran

Strange... I tried sending a test e-mail but I couldn't find "Return-To:" anywhere in the header.

Did you view the full headers, and what was there? Was the plugin activated?

[pran]

Here's the full headers.

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);
	 Mon, 15 Aug 2005 06:21:18 +0800
Received: from irc.dagupan.com (irc.dagupan.com [202.91.161.246])
	by mx1-out.bitstop.ph (Postfix) with ESMTP id 95F33198432
	for <xxxxx@dagupan.com>; Mon, 15 Aug 2005 06:19:57 +0800 (PHT)
Received: by irc.dagupan.com (Postfix, from userid 80)
	id A3A7472DF1; Mon, 15 Aug 2005 06:20:18 +0800 (PHT)
To: xxxxx@dagupan.com
Subject: vBulletin Email Test
From: "kuro@bitstop.ph" <kuro@bitstop.ph>
Message-ID: <200508142218.ad0678745254@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: Mon, 15 Aug 2005 06:20:18 +0800 (PHT)
Return-Path: www@irc.dagupan.com
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 14 Aug 2005 22:21:18.0781 (UTC) FILETIME=[7E2BAED0:01C5A11E]

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by pran

Here's the full headers.

Return-Path: www@irc.dagupan.com

Yes, that's the one Just make sure it only used for bounced emails (i.e. different than the webmaster email)

[pran]

Not quite -- I've defined vbouncer-notify[at]kuro.ph for the return path, not www[at]irc.dagupan.com

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by pran

Not quite -- I've defined vbouncer-notify[at]kuro.ph for the return path, not www[at]irc.dagupan.com

Is the plugin active?