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Multi-Arch docker container running Postfix. Optionally includes clamav, dkim, spf, greylisting that can be enabled if wanted.

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mikenye/postfix

Docker Linting

Postfix is Wietse Venema's excellent mail server.

This container attempts to simplify and streamline setting up inbound and outbound mail relays, to protect and enhance self hosted email servers (eg: Microsoft Exchange). However, if you find an alternate use, please let me know so I can add to "Deployment Recipes".

The container employs Postfix's Postscreen for enhanced protection.

Apart from basic email relaying, the container can optionally:

  • Implement up-to-date TLS/SSL security for SMTP connections
  • Perform email virus scanning with ClamAV for all inbound/outbound email
  • Implement DNSBLs for inbound email
  • Perform DKIM signing for all outbound email
  • Perform DKIM verification for all inbound email
  • Implement spf checking for inbound email
  • Implement greylisting for inbound email
  • Implement LDAP-based recipient verification for inbound email

The container is fully configured via environment variables - each service's configuration files built from environment variables on container start. It also supports some configuration files via volume mappings.

Currently supported docker architectures are linux/386, linux/amd64, linux/arm/v7 and linux/arm64.


Please note - docker hub cuts off this readme as it is quite long. To view the full readme click here.


Services

This container implement's the excellent s6-overlay for process supervision (and a bunch of other handy stuff).

Service Name Description When is it started
postfix Runs postfix Always
clamav-milter Part of ClamAV. Runs the clamav-milter for scanning emails for virii. If ENABLE_CLAMAV is set to true
clamd Part of ClamAV. Runs clamd, the virus scanning engine for clamav-milter. If ENABLE_CLAMAV is set to true
freshclam Part of ClamAV. Runs freshclam on the schedule defined by FRESHCLAM_CHECKS_PER_DAY to keep the ClamAV database updated. If ENABLE_CLAMAV is set to true
opendkim Runs opendkim for DKIM signing/verification. If ENABLE_OPENDKIM is set to true
postgrey Runs postgrey for greylisting. If ENABLE_POSTGREY is set to true
postgrey_whitelist_update Runs daily. Fetches the latest system whitelist from https://postgrey.schweikert.ch/pub/postgrey_whitelist_clients, merges with any locally defined whitelist, and reloads postgrey. If ENABLE_POSTGREY is set to true
syslogd Present for opendkim and postgrey logging. Always

Deployment Recipes

Wrap a Local Exchange Server

Wrapping an Exchange Server

In this deployment recipe, two containers (mail_in and mail_out) are created.

mail_in is designed to sit between the internet and a local legacy Exchange server. It handles inbound email, and provides the following:

  • Uses postscreen to ensure the sending MTA is standards compliant
  • Uses DNSBLs as an initial anti-spam measure
  • Provides up-to-date TLS for incoming clients
  • Performs greylisting as another anti-spam measure
  • Performs SPF & DKIM verification
  • Performs various header/sender/recipient checks to make sure the message is valid
  • Performs recipient verification via LDAP to internal Active Directory
  • Scans the email for viruses with ClamAV
  • Forwards the email to the legacy Exchange server

mail_out is designed to sit between the local legacy Exchange server and the internet. It handles outbound email, and provides the following:

  • Provides up-to-date TLS for talking to external MTAs
  • Performs DKIM signing
  • Scans the email for viruses with ClamAV
  • Delivers the outgoing email

From a networking perspective:

  • The site's internet router is configured to NAT incoming connections on TCP port 25 through to the docker host running mail_in on port TCP 2525.
  • The site's Exchange server is configured to send email (via "smart host") to the docker host (which is hard-coded to TCP port 25)

An example docker-compose.yml file is follows:

version: '3.8'

volumes:
  queue_out:
    driver: local
  queue_in:
    driver: local
  certs:
    driver: local
  dkim:
    driver: local
  clamav_in:
    driver: local
  clamav_out:
    driver: local
  postgrey_in:
    driver: local
  tables_in:
    driver: local
  aliases_in:
    driver: local
  asupdata_in:
    driver: local
  logs_in:
    driver: local
  logs_out:
    driver: local

services:

  mail_out:
    image: mikenye/postfix
    container_name: mail_out
    restart: always
    logging:
      driver: "json-file"
      options:
        max-file: "10"
        max-size: "10m"
    ports:
      - "25:25"
    environment:
      TZ: "Australia/Perth"
      POSTMASTER_EMAIL: "[email protected]"
      POSTFIX_INET_PROTOCOLS: "ipv4"
      POSTFIX_MYORIGIN: "mail.yourdomain.tld"
      POSTFIX_PROXY_INTERFACES: "your.external.IP.address"
      POSTFIX_MYNETWORKS: "your.local.LAN.subnet/prefix"
      POSTFIX_MYDOMAIN: "yourdomain.tld"
      POSTFIX_MYHOSTNAME: "mail.yourdomain.tld"
      POSTFIX_MAIL_NAME: "outbound"
      POSTFIX_SMTPD_TLS_CHAIN_FILES: "/etc/postfix/certs/privkey.pem, /etc/postfix/certs/fullchain.pem"
      POSTFIX_SMTP_TLS_CHAIN_FILES: "/etc/postfix/certs/privkey.pem, /etc/postfix/certs/fullchain.pem"
      POSTFIX_SMTPD_TLS_SECURITY_LEVEL: "may"
      POSTFIX_SMTPD_TLS_LOGLEVEL: 1
      POSTFIX_REJECT_INVALID_HELO_HOSTNAME: "false"
      POSTFIX_REJECT_NON_FQDN_HELO_HOSTNAME: "false"
      POSTFIX_REJECT_UNKNOWN_HELO_HOSTNAME: "false"
      ENABLE_OPENDKIM: "true"
      OPENDKIM_SIGNINGTABLE: "/etc/mail/dkim/SigningTable"
      OPENDKIM_KEYTABLE: "/etc/mail/dkim/KeyTable"
      OPENDKIM_MODE: "s"
      OPENDKIM_INTERNALHOSTS: "your.local.LAN.subnet/prefix"
      OPENDKIM_LOGRESULTS: "true"
      OPENDKIM_LOGWHY: "true"
      ENABLE_CLAMAV: "true"
      CLAMAV_MILTER_REPORT_HOSTNAME: "mail.yourdomain.tld"
    volumes:
      - "certs:/etc/postfix/certs:ro"
      - "dkim:/etc/mail/dkim:rw"
      - "clamav_out:/var/lib/clamav:rw"
      - "queue_out:/var/spool/postfix:rw"
      - "logs_out:/var/log:rw"

  mail_in:
    image: mikenye/postfix
    container_name: mail_in
    restart: always
    logging:
      driver: "json-file"
      options:
        max-file: "10"
        max-size: "10m"
    dns:
      - 8.8.8.8
      - 8.8.4.4
    ports:
      - "2525:25"
    environment:
      TZ: "Australia/Perth"
      POSTMASTER_EMAIL: "[email protected]"
      POSTFIX_INET_PROTOCOLS: "ipv4"
      POSTFIX_MYORIGIN: "mail.yourdomain.tld"
      POSTFIX_PROXY_INTERFACES: "your.external.IP.address"
      POSTFIX_MYDOMAIN: "yourdomain.tld"
      POSTFIX_MYHOSTNAME: "mail.yourdomain.tld"
      POSTFIX_MAIL_NAME: "inbound"
      POSTFIX_SMTPD_TLS_CHAIN_FILES: "/etc/postfix/certs/privkey.pem, /etc/postfix/certs/fullchain.pem"
      POSTFIX_SMTP_TLS_CHAIN_FILES: "/etc/postfix/certs/privkey.pem, /etc/postfix/certs/fullchain.pem"
      POSTFIX_SMTPD_TLS_SECURITY_LEVEL: "may"
      POSTFIX_SMTPD_TLS_LOGLEVEL: 1
      POSTFIX_RELAYHOST: "exchange.server.IP.addr"
      POSTFIX_RELAY_DOMAINS: "yourdomain.tld,someotherdomain.tld"
      POSTFIX_DNSBL_SITES: "hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com=127.0.0.2, bl.spamcop.net, cbl.abuseat.org=127.0.0.2, zen.spamhaus.org"
      ENABLE_OPENDKIM: "true"
      OPENDKIM_MODE: "v"
      OPENDKIM_LOGRESULTS: "true"
      OPENDKIM_LOGWHY: "true"
      ENABLE_SPF: "true"
      ENABLE_CLAMAV: "true"
      CLAMAV_MILTER_REPORT_HOSTNAME: "mail.yourdomain.tld"
      ENABLE_POSTGREY: "true"
      ENABLE_LDAP_RECIPIENT_ACCESS: "true"
      POSTFIX_LDAP_SERVERS: "active.directory.server.IP,active.directory.server.IP"
      POSTFIX_LDAP_BIND_DN: "CN=mailrelay,OU=Service Accounts,OU=Users,DC=yourdomain,DC=tld"
      POSTFIX_LDAP_BIND_PW: "12345"
      POSTFIX_LDAP_SEARCH_BASE: "DC=yourdomain,DC=tld"
    volumes:
      - "certs:/etc/postfix/certs:ro"
      - "queue_in:/var/spool/postfix:rw"
      - "clamav_in:/var/lib/clamav:rw"
      - "postgrey_in:/etc/postgrey:ro"
      - "tables_in:/etc/postfix/tables:ro"
      - "aliases_in:/etc/postfix/local_aliases:ro"
      - "logs_in:/var/log:rw"

It is recommended to make your volume mounts somewhere you can access them, so you can edit files, load certificates, view logs easily, etc.

For example, you could map through to a known local path:

volumes:
  queue_out:
    driver: local
      type: 'none'
      o: 'bind'
      device: '/opt/mail/queue_out'
...

...or, another example useing NFS to a filer/server, eg:

volumes:
  queue_out:
    driver: local
      type: nfs
      o: addr=1.2.3.4,rw
      device: ":/vol/mail/queue_out"
...

Environment Variables

Container configuration

Environment Variable Description
ENABLE_CLAMAV Optional. Set to "true" to enable ClamAV. Default is "false".
ENABLE_LDAP_RECIPIENT_ACCESS Optional. Enable LDAP-based recipient verification. See LDAP Recipient Verification section below.
ENABLE_OPENDKIM Optional. Set to "true" to enable OpenDKIM. If OpenDKIM is enabled, the "OpenDKIM Configuration" variables below will need to be set. Default is "false".
ENABLE_POSTGREY Optional. Set to "true" to enable postgrey. Default is "false".
ENABLE_SPF Optional. Set to "true" to enable policyd-spf. Default is "false".
POSTMASTER_EMAIL Required. Set to the email of your domain's postmaster. Example: [email protected].
TZ Recommended. Set the timezone for the container. Default is UTC.

Syslog Configuration

Environment Variable Description
SYSLOG_PRIORITY Optional. Log only messages more urgent than SYSLOG_PRIORITY. 0 = Emergency, 1 = Alert, 2 = Critical, 3 = Error, 4 = Warning, 5 = Notice, 6 = Info (the default), 7 = Debug

Postfix Configuration

Environment Variable Documentation Link
POSTFIX_DNSBL_SITES See documentation link.
POSTFIX_DNSBL_THRESHOLD See documentation link.
POSTFIX_INET_PROTOCOLS See documentation link.
POSTFIX_MAIL_NAME See documentation link.
POSTFIX_MESSAGE_SIZE_LIMIT See documentation link.
POSTFIX_MYDOMAIN See documentation link.
POSTFIX_MYHOSTNAME See documentation link.
POSTFIX_MYNETWORKS See documentation link.
POSTFIX_MYORIGIN See documentation link.
POSTFIX_PROXY_INTERFACES See documentation link.
POSTFIX_REJECT_INVALID_HELO_HOSTNAME See documentation link.
POSTFIX_REJECT_NON_FQDN_HELO_HOSTNAME See documentation link.
POSTFIX_REJECT_UNKNOWN_HELO_HOSTNAME See documentation link.
POSTFIX_REJECT_UNKNOWN_SENDER_DOMAIN See documentation link.
POSTFIX_RELAY_DOMAINS See documentation link.
POSTFIX_RELAYHOST_PORT Optional port argument for POSTFIX_RELAYHOST. Default is 25 so only need to change if you're relayhost is running on a different port.
POSTFIX_RELAYHOST See documentation link.
POSTFIX_SMTP_TLS_CHAIN_FILES See documentation link.
POSTFIX_SMTPD_MILTERS Any milters given here are applied after DKIM & ClamAV. See documentation link.
POSTFIX_SMTPD_RECIPIENT_RESTRICTIONS_PERMIT_SASL_AUTHENTICATED Set to true to include in smtpd_recipient_restrictions. See documentation link.
POSTFIX_SMTPD_TLS_CERT_FILE See documentation link.
POSTFIX_SMTPD_TLS_CHAIN_FILES See documentation link.
POSTFIX_SMTPD_TLS_KEY_FILE See documentation link.
POSTFIX_SMTPD_TLS_LOGLEVEL See documentation link.
POSTFIX_SMTPD_TLS_SECURITY_LEVEL See documentation link.
POSTFIX_SMTPD_USE_TLS See documentation link.
POSTFIX_SMTPUTF8_ENABLE See documentation link.
POSTFIX_CHECK_RECIPIENT_ACCESS_FINAL_ACTION If recipient checks are enabled (via ENABLE_LDAP_RECIPIENT_ACCESS and/or recipient_access.hash), this is the final action taken after all other checks. Default is defer. Usually should be set to either defer or reject. See documentation link.

Backwards-Compatibility Safety Net Options

Environment Variable Documentation Link
POSTFIX_SMTPD_RELAY_BEFORE_RECIPIENT_RESTRICTIONS See documentation link.

LDAP Recipient Verification

See "LDAP" section below.

If ENABLE_LDAP_RECIPIENT_ACCESS is enabled, the final smtpd_recipient_restrictions action becomes defer (from the default of permit).

Environment Variable Documentation Link
POSTFIX_LDAP_SERVERS Required. Comma separated list of LDAP servers.
POSTFIX_LDAP_VERSION Optional. LDAP version. Default is 3 (which works with Active Directory).
POSTFIX_LDAP_QUERY_FILTER Optional. LDAP query filter to find user/group emails. Default is `(&(
POSTFIX_LDAP_SEARCH_BASE Required. The base DN in which to search for users/groups. eg: DC=MyDomain,DC=tld.
POSTFIX_LDAP_BIND_DN Required. The account name to use to bind to the LDAP servers, specified in LDAP syntax, eg: CN=svc-mailrelay,OU=Service Accounts,OU=Users,DC=MyDomain,DC=tld.
POSTFIX_LDAP_BIND_PW Required. The account password for the POSTFIX_LDAP_BIND_DN account.
POSTFIX_LDAP_DEBUG_LEVEL Optional. If you're having problems, you can set this to 1 or higher.

OpenDKIM Configuration

Environment Variable Detail
OPENDKIM_DOMAIN Comma separated list of domains whose mail should be signed by this filter.
OPENDKIM_INTERNALHOSTS Comma separated list of internal hosts whose mail should be signed rather than verified.
OPENDKIM_KEYFILE Gives the location (within the container) of a PEM-formatted private key to be used for signing all messages.
OPENDKIM_KEYTABLE Path to a key table. You do not need to include refile:. Can be used instead of OPENDKIM_KEYFILE & OPENDKIM_SELECTOR for multiple domains.
OPENDKIM_LOGRESULTS Set to true for for logging of the results of evaluation of all signatures that were at least partly intact.
OPENDKIM_LOGWHY Set to true for very detailed logging about the logic behind the filter’s decision to either sign a message or verify it.
OPENDKIM_MODE Selects operating modes. The string is a concatenation of characters that indicate which mode(s) of operation are desired. Valid modes are s (signer) and v (verifier). The default is sv except in test mode (see the opendkim(8) man page) in which case the default is v. When signing mode is enabled, one of the following combinations must also be set: (a) Domain, KeyFile, Selector, no KeyTable, no SigningTable; (b) KeyTable, SigningTable, no Domain, no KeyFile, no Selector; (c) KeyTable, SetupPolicyScript, no Domain, no KeyFile, no Selector.
OPENDKIM_SELECTOR Set to the selector specified when creating the Key File.
OPENDKIM_SIGNINGTABLE Path to a signing table file. You do not need to include refile:. Can be used instead of OPENDKIM_DOMAIN for multiple domains.
OPENDKIM_SUBDOMAINS Set to true to sign subdomains of those listed by the Domain parameter as well as the actual domains.

ClamAV Configuration

Environment Variable Detail
FRESHCLAM_CHECKS_PER_DAY Optional. Number of database checks per day. Default: 12 (every two hours).
CLAMAV_MILTER_REPORT_HOSTNAME Optional. The hostname ClamAV Milter will report in the X-Virus-Scanned header. If unset, defaults to the container's hostname.
CLAMAV_MILTER_ALLOWLIST Optional. Sets ClamAV Milter's Whitelist option.
CLAMAV_CLAMD_PHISHING_SIGNATURES Optional. Overrides ClamAV Daemon's default setting for PhishingSignatures.
CLAMAV_CLAMD_PHISHING_SCAN_URLS Optional. Overrides ClamAV Daemon's default setting for PhishingScanURLs.
CLAMAV_CLAMD_PHISHING_ALWAYS_BLOCK_SSL_MISMATCH Optional. Overrides ClamAV Daemon's default setting for PhishingAlwaysBlockSSLMismatch.
CLAMAV_CLAMD_PHISHING_ALWAYS_BLOCK_CLOAK Optional. Overrides ClamAV Daemon's default setting for PhishingAlwaysBlockCloak.
CLAMAV_CLAMD_HEURISTIC_SCAN_PRECEDENCE Optional. Overrides ClamAV Daemon's default setting for HeuristicScanPrecedence.

Configuration Files

The following files can be optionally configured.

Postfix table files

If using postfix table files, it is recommened to place all files into a single directory, and map this directory through to the container at /etc/postfix/tables.

Table File (with respect to container) Format If this file is present... After modifying...
/etc/postfix/tables/client_access.cidr cidr It is automatically added to postfix's check_client_access. Run helper command update_client_access (see below)
/etc/postfix/tables/dnsbl_reply.texthash texthash It is automatically added to postfix's postscreen_dnsbl_reply_map. Run helper command update_dnsbl_reply (see below)
/etc/postfix/tables/header_checks.pcre pcre It is automatically added to postfix's header_checks. Run helper command update_header_checks (see below)
/etc/postfix/tables/helo_access.hash hash It is automatically added to postfix's check_helo_access. Run helper command update_helo_access (see below)
/etc/postfix/tables/milter_header_checks.pcre pcre It is automatically added to postfix's milter_header_checks. Run helper command update_milter_header_checks (see below)
/etc/postfix/tables/postscreen_access.cidr cidr It is automatically added to postfix's 'postscreen_access_list' (after permit_mynetworks). Run helper command update_postscreen_access (see below)
/etc/postfix/tables/sender_access.hash hash It is automatically added to postfix's check_sender_access. Run helper command update_sender_access (see below)
/etc/postfix/tables/recipient_access.hash hash It is automatically added to postfix's check_recipient_access, and the final smtpd_recipient_restrictions action becomes defer (from the default of permit). Run helper command check_recipient_access (see below)

Postgrey whitelist files

For the format of this file, see the postgrey manpage.

Configuration file (with respect to container) If this file is present... After modifying...
/etc/postgrey/postgrey_whitelist_clients.local It is merged with the regularly updated system whitelist. Run helper command update_postgrey_whitelist (see below).

The system whitelist is downloaded from https://postgrey.schweikert.ch/pub/postgrey_whitelist_clients once every 24 hours if postgrey is enabled.

Local Aliases

The format of this file is as-per the /etc/aliases file.

Configuration file (with respect to container) If this file is present... After modifying...
/etc/postfix/local_aliases/aliases It is merged with the system aliases file. Run helper command update_aliases (see below).

The system aliases file maps postmaster, root, postfix and clamav through to the address specified by POSTMASTER_EMAIL.

Paths

Required to be mapped

Path Access Detail
/var/spool/postfix rw Required. Mail queue & postgrey database.

Optional

Path Access Detail
/var/lib/clamav rw ClamAV anti-virus database. Map if using ClamAV.
/etc/postfix/local_aliases rw A file named aliases can be placed in this folder. The contents of this file will be added to the container's /etc/aliases at startup. Map if you need to add entries to /etc/aliases.
/etc/postfix/certs ro Postfix TLS chain files should be placed in here. Map if using TLS/SSL.
/etc/postgrey ro Postgrey local whitelists should be placed in here. Map if using postgrey.
/etc/postfix/tables ro Postfix's tables should be placed in here. Map if you need to use any of the Postfix Table Files listed above.
/etc/mail/dkim rw DKIM private keys (and KeyTable/SigningTable files if used) to be placed here.

DKIM

Generating a DKIM key

When setting up DKIM, you can use this container to create your keys.

Change to a directory on the host that will hold the public & private keys.

cd /path/to/dkim/keys

Generate a key with the following command (replacing your.domain.name with your domain name):

docker run \
    --rm \
    -it \
    -v $(pwd):/workdir \
    --entrypoint opendkim-genkey \
    mikenye/postfix \
    --directory=/workdir \
    --bits=1024 \
    --selector=<selector> \
    --restrict \
    --domain=<yourdomain.tld>

There should now be two files in your current directory, <selector>.private and <selector>.txt. This directory should be mapped through to the container (I suggest at /etc/mail/dkim), and the full path of the <selector>.private file (with respect to the container's filesystem) should be passed to OPENDKIM_KEYFILE. The <selector> should be passed to OPENDKIM_SELECTOR.

If you have more than one domain to sign mail for, you can use KeyTable and SigningTable files.

The <selector>.txt files contain DNS records which should be added to yourdomain.tld's DNS.

As for a selector name, an example may be: “sales-201309-1024”. This example indicates that it belongs to the “sales” email stream, is intended to be rotated into active duty in September 2013 and references a 1024-bit key (reference).

For more information, see the OpenDKIM readme: http://opendkim.org/opendkim-README

LDAP

With LDAP-based recipient verification:

  • Before accepting email, when postfix receives an RCPT TO, it will query LDAP for the address given.
  • If LDAP finds an email address in your directory, the message will be accepted.
  • If LDAP does not find an email address in your directory, the message will be deferred (status code 450).

This is usually a good idea, because it saves resources on your internal mail server. For example, a client runs MS Exchange & Kaspersky Security for Mail Server. Kaspersky scans all mail that hits the Exchange server, regardless of whether or not there is a valid recipient for the email. This means that if mail is sent to a non-existent address, you have the overhead of:

  • The postfix container processing & scanning the email
  • Kaspersky scanning the email
  • Exchange processing the email, generating a bounce message
  • Exchange & postfix trying to deliver the bounce message

With recipient verification, the sender is given a deferral, and after some time they will get a bounce message.

If setting this up for the first time:

  • It is suggested to check the container log (grep for " 450 ") occasionaly to make sure there are no accidental deferrals.
  • If there are accidental referrals, or you have addresses that email should be accepted for that are not in your directory, you can add these to the recipient_access.hash file (see above). The next time the message delivery is attempted (because we are deferring, not rejecting), it should deliver properly.

See the Postfix LDAP Howto for more information.

Helper Commands

These commands can be executed in the context of the container, for example:

docker exec <container> <command>
Command Purpose
postfix reload Performs a postfix reload (should be done if SSL certs are updated, etc).

Reloading Postfix's table files

If you edit one of postfix's table files, you must run the appropriate helper command below before the new version of the table file will be active.

Command Purpose
update_aliases Rebuilds /etc/aliases within the container, and runs newaliases.
update_client_access Rebuilds files used by check_client_access.
update_dnsbl_reply Rebuilds files used by postscreen_dnsbl_reply_map.
update_header_checks Rebuilds files used by header_checks.
update_helo_access Rebuilds files used by check_helo_access.
update_milter_header_checks Rebuilds files used by milter_header_checks.
update_postgrey_whitelist Rebuilds files used by postgrey's --whitelist-clients.
update_postscreen_access Rebuilds files used by postscreen_access_list.
update_recipient_access Rebuilds files used by check_recipient_access.
update_sender_access Rebuilds files used by check_sender_access.

Postfix's Order of Checks/Restrictions

  • postscreen_access_list:
    1. permit_mynetworks - includes any networks set by the POSTFIX_MYNETWORKS environment variable
    2. cidr:/etc/postfix/postscreen_access.cidr - includes any local entries added to /etc/postfix/tables/postscreen_access.cidr. If you are using fail2ban or similar, this is the file you can add your banned IPs to.
    3. If POSTFIX_DNSBL_SITES is configured, postscreen performs DNSBL checks.
  • smtpd_helo_restrictions:
    1. permit_mynetworks - includes any networks set by the POSTFIX_MYNETWORKS environment variable
    2. check_helo_access hash:/etc/postfix/helo_access.hash - includes any local entries added to /etc/postfix/tables/helo_access.hash
    3. reject_invalid_helo_hostname - unless the environment variable POSTFIX_REJECT_INVALID_HELO_HOSTNAME is set to false
    4. reject_non_fqdn_helo_hostname - unless the environment variable POSTFIX_REJECT_NON_FQDN_HELO_HOSTNAME is set to false
    5. reject_unknown_helo_hostname - unless the environment variable POSTFIX_REJECT_UNKNOWN_HELO_HOSTNAME is set to false
  • smtpd_recipient_restrictions:
    1. permit_mynetworks - includes any networks set by the POSTFIX_MYNETWORKS environment variable
    2. check_client_access cidr:/etc/postfix/client_access.cidr - includes any local entries added to /etc/postfix/tables/client_access.cidr
    3. permit_sasl_authenticated - see: http://www.postfix.org/postconf.5.html#permit_sasl_authenticated. This is placed below check_client_access so that malicious actors can be blocked via client_access.cidr
    4. check_sender_access hash:/etc/postfix/sender_access.hash - includes any local entries added to /etc/postfix/tables/header_checks.pcre
    5. reject_unauth_destination - see: http://www.postfix.org/postconf.5.html#reject_unauth_destination. This is placed above more "expensive" checks to prevent wasting resources for mail that's going to be rejected.
    6. If ENABLE_SPF is enabled, check_policy_service unix:private/policy - performs SPF checks.
    7. reject_non_fqdn_recipient - see: http://www.postfix.org/postconf.5.html#reject_non_fqdn_recipient.
    8. reject_non_fqdn_sender - see: http://www.postfix.org/postconf.5.html#reject_non_fqdn_sender.
    9. reject_unknown_sender_domain - see: http://www.postfix.org/postconf.5.html#reject_unknown_sender_domain.
    10. reject_unknown_recipient_domain - see: http://www.postfix.org/postconf.5.html#reject_unknown_recipient_domain.
    11. If ENABLE_POSTGREY is enabled, check_policy_service inet:127.0.0.1:10023 - performs greylisting.
    12. If ENABLE_LDAP_RECIPIENT_ACCESS is enabled, and/or if /etc/postfix/tables/recipient_access.hash exists, check_recipient_access ... - performs recipient address verification using LDAP and/or the recipient_access.hash file. The recipient_access.hash file is analysed first, allowing this file to override LDAP verification.
    13. Finally:
    • If check_recipient_access is used (see above), then: POSTFIX_CHECK_RECIPIENT_ACCESS_FINAL_ACTION (default: defer)
    • Else: permit
  • smtpd_data_restrictions:
    1. reject_unauth_pipelining - see: http://www.postfix.org/postconf.5.html#reject_unauth_pipelining
    2. permit

After a message is queued, it is passed through milters:

  1. If ENABLE_DKIM, the email is sent through opendkim. The email is signed/verified by DKIM.
  2. If ENABLE_CLAMAV, the email is sent through clamav-milter. The email is dropped if a virus is detected.
  3. If any additional milters are defined with POSTFIX_SMTPD_MILTERS, they are then applied.

Testing

To test your configuration, an expect script is included in the GitHub Repo.

The script requires expect and telnet.

The syntax of the file is as follows:

test_server.expect <mail_server> <port> <helo> <from> <to>

Where:

  • <mail_server> is the IP/hostname of the mail server
  • <port> is the port of the mail server
  • <helo> is the FQDN to identify as
  • <from> is the sender email
  • <to> is the recipient email

An email will be sent from <from>, to <to> with the subject Test email sent at <date/time>.

expect is used to wait for the server to respond properly between commands, to prevent the session from being terminated due to Postfix's reject_unauth_pipelining.

When setting this container up, it is recommended to:

  • For inbound mail relays, from an external server:
    • Test normal operation - Test from an external email address, to an internal mail address.
    • Test to ensure no open relay - Test from an internal email address, to an external mail address.
  • For outbound mail relays, from an internal server (as your outbound mail relay should not be accessable outside your LAN):
    • Test normal operation - Test from an internal email address, to an external mail address.
  • For testing SPF/DKIM - there are online tools available, such as https://email-test.had.dnsops.gov (remember that this service is rate limited, so don't accidentally get banned by testing too much). Furthermore, you can send an email to a gmail address and then take a look at the headers when (if) the message arrives. Google performs SPF/DKIM/DMARC on all email.

Getting help

Please feel free to open an issue on the project's GitHub.

I also have a Discord channel, feel free to join and converse.

References

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Multi-Arch docker container running Postfix. Optionally includes clamav, dkim, spf, greylisting that can be enabled if wanted.

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