[DOC] NoCeM - What you need to know

[faq]

Contents :
1 - Preamble
2 - Definition of NoCeM
3 - NoCeM or Cancel?
4 - Nocem issuers
5 - Descriptions and tips on existing nocems
6 - Conclusion
7 - References



1 - Preamble

This document, posted monthly, list the nocems currently published
on the "news.lists.filters" group.
It does not deal with nocems published in a local hierarchy.
The aim is to publicize existing general nocems so that server
administrators can decide which nocems they wish to apply or not.


2 - Definition

NoCeM (pronounced No See 'Em) is a modern solution for managing spam.

Rather than issuing a "cancel" on a spam message that most servers will
reject, we generate a message in the "news.lists.filters" group called
"nocem", which contain the message(s) to be deleted.

Each nocem is signed with a gpg key to guarantee its authenticity.

The News administrators of each server is free to apply these nocems or not,
unlike global cancels, nothing is imposed.



3 - NoCeM or Cancel?

- Using nocems requires the server administrator to modify its configuration
to accept them. Otherwise, the nocem does nothing on the server.
It's a simple text message.

- Cancel, on the other hand, is accepted by default by the server
configuration. It's up to the server administrator to modify his config
to refuse certain types of cancels. This is not always easy for servers
with little administration or little knowledge of "fr" specificities.

Reminder: general NoCeMs are published in news.lists.filters.



4 - Nocem issuers

- " bleachbot " <***@httrack.com>

- " nocembot " <***@usenet.ovh>

- <***@eternal-september.org>

- " nono le petit robot " <***@pasdenom.info>

- " i2pn2-nocem " <i2pn2-***@i2pn2.org>

- "news.chmurka.net nocembot" <***@chmurka.net>




5 - Descriptions and tips for existing nocems


5.1 - " bleachbot "

Information : http://home.httrack.net/~nocem/

Public key : http://home.httrack.net/~nocem/bleachbot.asc

Types of nocems :
- spam : detection based on previously confirmed spam with BI>=20.
- site : flood and hipcrime detection.

Tip: Nocem has been a recognized source for years.
Recommended for use on all servers.

This robot seems to have stopped since January 1, 2024


5.2 - " nocembot "

Information : http://usenet.ovh/?article=nocem

Public key : http://usenet.ovh/files/alfanet_0x5789E33A_public

Types of nocems :
- spam : spams and clearly malicious articles
- flood : well-known regular flooders

Tip: New public Nocems source since June 5, 2023
(previously restricted to the news.usenet.ovh server).
The website details what is filtered.
Recommended for use on all servers.


5.3 - ***@eternal-september.org

Information : https://www.eternal-september.org/index.php?showpage=nocem

Public key : : https://www.eternal-september.org/nocem-eternal-september.asc

Les types de nocems :
- spam : drugs/meds/cards/casino from GoogleGroups
- bot : bot generated pseudo discussions from various sources
(currently from Abavia).

Tip : New public Nocems source since septembre 25, 2023
Recommended use of on all servers.


5.4 - " nono le petit robot "

Information : https://pasdenom.info/nocem.html

Public key : http://pasdenom.info/gpg/robot.pasdenom.asc

Types of nocems :
- spam : spams 99,99%
- spam2 : spams with rare false positives
- spam3 : spam with false positives
- spam4 : spams with slightly more false positives
- site : rare manual notices

Tip: these nocems are the result of the use of "spamassasin".
An effective product usually used to detect spam in emails.
Here, the sample used to train the robot to detect spam seems
to be poorly done: too much false positives for spam.
Other types of nocem generate inappropriate false positives.
In particular spam3 and 4, which on some forums, such as fr.soc.politique,
could be seen as censorship.
The "site" nocem is used for abuse that is generally consensual.




5.5 - " i2pn2-nocem " <i2pn2-***@i2pn2.org>

Information : ?

Public key : https://www.novabbs.com/hierarchy/i2pn2-nocem.txt

Types of nocems :
- spam : These bot-spam NoCeM notices may cover any hierarchy and
are automatically generated by a spamassassin script.

Tip : Recommended use of on all servers.



5.6 - "news.chmurka.net nocembot" <***@chmurka.net>

Information : http://news.chmurka.net/nocem.php

Public key : http://news.chmurka.net/nocem-chmurka.asc

Types of nocems :
- thai : NoCeM notice for Thai flood originating from Google Groups.

Tip : Recommended use of on all servers.




6 - Conclusion

If you want to contribute to this document, you can reply directly
to this message (or by e-mail if you prefer).



7 - References:
- The NoCeM FAQ. V0.93: http://www.cm.org/faq.html
- Kleopatra: https://www.openpgp.org/software/kleopatra/
(certificate manager and GUI for GnuP)
- Global cancels: <news:***@raybanana.net>

[noel]

Post by faq
The News administrators of each server is free to apply these nocems or not,
unlike global cancels, nothing is imposed.

huh? global (or for that matter any) cancels (just like nocems) are not
imposed here...

[Olivier Miakinen]

Post by noel

Post by faq
The News administrators of each server is free to apply these nocems or not,
unlike global cancels, nothing is imposed.

huh? global (or for that matter any) cancels (just like nocems) are not
imposed here...

You're right, it's a lie. A news administrator is just as free to accept or
refuse cancels as she is to accept or refuse nocems.

[llp]

Post by noel

Post by faq
The News administrators of each server is free to apply these nocems or not,
unlike global cancels, nothing is imposed.

huh? global (or for that matter any) cancels (just like nocems) are not
imposed here...

If you use an inn2 version prior to 2.7, cancel are accepted by
default.
So abusers can make abusives cancels, like Olivier Miakinen on "fr"

[Eric M]

Post by llp
So abusers can make abusives cancels, like Olivier Miakinen on "fr"

You can't write a faq, because to do that you need to be objective.
You are a far right stalker, nothing else.

[Olivier Miakinen]

Post by Eric M

Post by llp
So abusers can make abusives cancels, like Olivier Miakinen on "fr"

You can't write a faq, because to do that you need to be objective.
You are a far right stalker, nothing else.

What's more, he's an anonymous right-wing stalker harassing a person clearly
identified by first and last name.

And of course, since he issues NoCeMs while I issue Cancels, he's trying to
make it look like Cancels are much worse than NoCeMs.

[llp]

Post by Olivier Miakinen

(french hater troll speaking)

And of course, since he issues NoCeMs while I issue Cancels, he's trying to
make it look like Cancels are much worse than NoCeMs.

When a newsmaster issue cancels for abuse of one of *his* users,
cancels are perfectly legitimate.

It's not your case.
You're not a newsmaster and you do global third party cancel.

Nocem is the way against "spam", Cancel is not the way for that.
And abusive cancel is never the way...

[M.V.]

Bonjour,

Post by llp
So abusers can make abusives cancels

What's the point of reproducing here a discussion that you've relaunched
endlessly on fr.usenet.abus.d?

[R Daneel Olivaw]

Post by M.V.
Bonjour,

Post by llp
So abusers can make abusives cancels

What's the point of reproducing here a discussion that you've relaunched
endlessly on fr.usenet.abus.d?

I seem to remember the "Abusive Cancel" thread in this group - started
around 27th December 2023 - was another example, an estimated 286
messages which were mostly just reiterating entrenched positions.

[noel]

Post by noel

Post by faq
The News administrators of each server is free to apply these nocems or not,
unlike global cancels, nothing is imposed.

huh? global (or for that matter any) cancels (just like nocems) are
not imposed here...

If you use an inn2 version prior to 2.7, cancel are accepted by default.
So abusers can make abusives cancels, like Olivier Miakinen on "fr"

That's a failing of INN then if that is true, or is that a distro package
and not source pkg you use? We known distro pkg maintainers like to think
they know better despite in reality knowing S.F.A.

I've used dnews since early beta days (early/mid) 90's and it has never
accepted cancels by default, so I'd be astonished if INN through all
those decades, did.

[llp]

Post by noel

Post by noel

Post by faq
The News administrators of each server is free to apply these nocems or not,
unlike global cancels, nothing is imposed.

huh? global (or for that matter any) cancels (just like nocems) are
not imposed here...

If you use an inn2 version prior to 2.7, cancel are accepted by default.
So abusers can make abusives cancels, like Olivier Miakinen on "fr"

That's a failing of INN then if that is true, or is that a distro package
and not source pkg you use? We known distro pkg maintainers like to think
they know better despite in reality knowing S.F.A.

I can confirm that for the 2.6.x inn2 series.
Some newsmasters tell that the 2.7.x does not suffer from this problem.

Post by noel
I've used dnews since early beta days (early/mid) 90's and it has never
accepted cancels by default, so I'd be astonished if INN through all
those decades, did.

I don't know how dnews works.