Delete Email sent to a distribution list
Good Aftenoon,
First of all let me point out that I am new to the Messaging Server System. My boss has asked me a queston that let me wondering if it can be done. There was a mail sent to a distribution list that we would like to be erased from every user account that it arrived. How can this be done?. There was a topic similarly to the one mentioned before but it is confusing. Can you give me a better idea of what has to be done for the queston asked.
Thanks in advance,
Gunter.
# 1
Hi,
> There was a mail sent to a distribution list that we
> would like to be erased from every user account that
> it arrived. How can this be done?.
Firstly, lets start with a reality check.
Once an email is sent it is almost impossible to retract/delete with any kind of certainty. As soon as the email is delivered it can be downloaded locally (e.g. POP, IMAP copy to local folder, fetchmail etc.), auto-forwarded to another account, forwarded manually to another account, printed or even read and remembered for that matter.
So that usually leaves you with three courses of action.
1) Send a followup email asking users to delete the first email (of course this can make things worse since it draws attention to the email)
2) Send a followup email advising the email was sent by mistake and explaining the, I assume, embarrassing/litigious issues raised by the email
3) Scramble and try to delete copies of the email (once again potentially drawing attention to the email)
So with this in mind you can theoretically remove 'original' copies of the email from systems within your own control. The longer you wait to action this the less you will track down.
> There was a
> topic similarly to the one mentioned before but it
> is confusing.
Methods on deleting emails from accounts have already been discussed on this forum as you have noted - what bit in particular do you find confusing.
> Can you give me a better idea of what
> has to be done for the queston asked.
Already addressed in previous forum discussions.
Regards,
Shane.
# 2
Hello,
In the other forum question they talked about:
1. finding one instance per mail partition. (how is this done)
2. Unlink all the links that the file has been linked (how is this done).
Those are the two parts that I dont really understand since I am new to Solaris 10 and Sun Messaging System.
Thanks again for the help.
Gunter.
# 3
Hi,
> In the other forum question they talked about:
> 1. finding one instance per mail partition. (how is
> this done)
You can use find/grep to find the message in question if you know the message ID (from your mail logs) or some part of the contents.
> 2. Unlink all the links that the file has been linked
> (how is this done).
Once again, you can use find to locate specific inode numbers associated with a hard-linked file.
> Those are the two parts that I dont really understand
> since I am new to Solaris 10 and Sun Messaging
> System.
I suggest you get on some Unix/Solaris & Messaging server training ASAP.
Deleting emails in the ways we have suggested is not recommended for those with limited unix skills - too much chance of doing something wrong and deleting incorrect emails etc.
Regards,
Shane.
