mahara-contributors team mailing list archive

[Scott Korvek <738263@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Public bug reported:

I am using Mahara 1.3.3 clean install on shared hosting with
inmotionhosting, linux php 5.3, mysql.  Everything works, but my emails
sent by mahara are getting blocked.  I had the same problem with my
moodle installation, but was able to configure it with SMTP email and a
defined, working noreply address. However, this is not working with
mahara.

The mail is actually sent, but is blocked at the destination because the
user's profile email address is being used as the from field, instead of
the noreplyaddress as defined.  Since the email is coming from another
domain, but claiming to be from the same domain as the recipient, it's
blocked by the receiving mailserver (rightfully so).

In doing the testing, I was following the troubleshooting info on the
wiki and using the contact us form to send the test emails.  Peeking
around the code I see that that is a rather "crude" form that takes the
email given and passes it on to phpmailer as the from address.  The from
email field is autopopulated since I am logged in, so the noreplyaddress
is never used in this case.

After fixing other problems, the contact form submissions still get
blocked (obviously).  In a case where the noreplyaddress config
directive is set, the form should be smart enough to substitute that
address for the entered address (or better yet-- apply that address to
the reply-to address, and use the noreply address as the "from" or
"sender" fields to comply with proper envelope format and accepted relay
rules) since in effect mahara is using the mailserver as a relay.

If that can't be done, perhaps you could include a switch to turn off
the contact form and replace it with a email address url for contact
(mailto) so the person trying to contact the admin can use their own
mail system (less ideal I guess).

Lastly, until this is fixed, and possibly after, the troubleshooting
docs shouldn't suggest using this form to troubleshoot email since the
form itself is the problem!

Forum post with complete details:
http://mahara.org/interaction/forum/topic.php?id=3110#post13442

** Affects: mahara
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/738263

Title:
  faulty contact us form with noreplyaddress configdirective

Status in Mahara ePortfolio:
  New

Bug description:
  I am using Mahara 1.3.3 clean install on shared hosting with
  inmotionhosting, linux php 5.3, mysql.  Everything works, but my
  emails sent by mahara are getting blocked.  I had the same problem
  with my moodle installation, but was able to configure it with SMTP
  email and a defined, working noreply address. However, this is not
  working with mahara.

  The mail is actually sent, but is blocked at the destination because
  the user's profile email address is being used as the from field,
  instead of the noreplyaddress as defined.  Since the email is coming
  from another domain, but claiming to be from the same domain as the
  recipient, it's blocked by the receiving mailserver (rightfully so).

  In doing the testing, I was following the troubleshooting info on the
  wiki and using the contact us form to send the test emails.  Peeking
  around the code I see that that is a rather "crude" form that takes
  the email given and passes it on to phpmailer as the from address.
  The from email field is autopopulated since I am logged in, so the
  noreplyaddress is never used in this case.

  After fixing other problems, the contact form submissions still get
  blocked (obviously).  In a case where the noreplyaddress config
  directive is set, the form should be smart enough to substitute that
  address for the entered address (or better yet-- apply that address to
  the reply-to address, and use the noreply address as the "from" or
  "sender" fields to comply with proper envelope format and accepted
  relay rules) since in effect mahara is using the mailserver as a
  relay.

  If that can't be done, perhaps you could include a switch to turn off
  the contact form and replace it with a email address url for contact
  (mailto) so the person trying to contact the admin can use their own
  mail system (less ideal I guess).

  Lastly, until this is fixed, and possibly after, the troubleshooting
  docs shouldn't suggest using this form to troubleshoot email since the
  form itself is the problem!

  Forum post with complete details:
  http://mahara.org/interaction/forum/topic.php?id=3110#post13442