Information Technology Policies and Standards

Title
Unsolicited Commercial/Bulk E-Mail: Blocking Criteria
Type
Standard
Related Policy
Unsolicited Commercial/Bulk E-Mail Policy
Category
General
Status
Superseded
Approved
01/14/2004
Revised
12/07/2006
To Be Reviewed
12/04/2008
Scope
Applies to all e-mail messages processed by the City of Albuquerque.
Standard
The City may employ technological measures to restrict inbound e-mail messages based upon message source, destination, content, or any combination thereof. These measures may include but are not limited to:
  • access maps;
  • content filters;
  • reputation services;
  • anti-forgery services;
  • antivirus programs;
  • DNS-based block lists (DNSBLs).

The City may also locally block e-mail from other addresses, domains and networks for several reasons, including but not limited to:
  • active/unresolved/unresponsive to abuse complaints;
  • failure to observe RFC 821 (SMTP) or RFC 1893 (ESMTP) status codes from our mail relays;
  • failure to observe our DNS MX records as published;
  • failure to provide RFC 2821-compliant server identification ("domain literal") for mail relays connecting to the City's mail relays;
  • failure to provide valid DNS PTR ("reverse lookup") records for mail relays connecting to the City's mail relays which properly identify the sender's domain;
  • messages sent from mail relays other than the sender's approved relays, published using an RFC 4408-compliant scheme (e.g., SPF version 1);
  • falsifying of message headers or providing false or deceptive information as to message source, originator, subject or routing;
  • sending messages which masquerade as originating from or transiting our domains and/or networks;
  • operation or use, knowingly or unknowingly, of "open relays";
  • participation, knowingly or unknowingly, in "denial-of-service" attacks against our systems and/or networks;
  • launching probes against our systems/networks with the intent of exposing potential vulnerabilities;
  • "spidering" our websites with the intent of "harvesting" e-mail addresses;
  • sending messages which in any way violate the New Mexico Unfair Practices Act or the federal CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 .
Rationale
Provides senders with the City's technical standards for accepting legitimate e-mail messages.

See also:
  • Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing (CAN-SPAM) Act (Public Law 108-187, 117 Stat. 2699 [2003]; 15 USC 7701-7713; 18 USC 1001, 1037; 28 USC 994; 47 USC 227; 16 CFR Part 316).
  • New Mexico Unfair Trade Practices Act (57-12-1 et seq NMSA 1978).

Contact: Lee Stark, (505) 768-2978