amber-list

Amber sits in the tcpserver chain for qmail and implements an "amber list" for incoming mail. This neither accepts nor rejects connections, but implements a number of timing-related tricks to fake out spam and virus software that doesn't implement SMTP correctly. For example, it can defer requests from new IP addresses for a few minutes before it starts passing connections on to smtpd, pause and check for programs that send data before the HELO, and otherwise make things rough for bandit bulk mailers.