SpamEater
Secure temporary email service with auto-deletion. ModSecurity WAF protected.
What is it?
What it is
A privacy-focused, self-hosted disposable email server that automatically deletes emails after 24 hours with no recovery option.
Why it exists
To provide a secure, temporary email solution for testing, sign-ups, and protecting real email addresses from spam while prioritizing user privacy and security.
Who should use it
Individuals who own a domain and want a private, secure disposable email service for testing, sign-ups, and spam protection. Developers testing email functionality and privacy-conscious users.
Who should avoid it
Users without a domain, those unable to configure DNS or open ports 25/80/443, anyone needing email storage beyond 24 hours, and those uncomfortable with basic server administration or Docker.
How it works
A quick walkthrough in plain English
How spameater works
Step 1 of 3
You interact with it
Open spameater, send a request, or connect it to your stack.
Features
Advantages
- Privacy‑first design with no analytics or external dependencies
- Strong security stack (WAF, fail2ban, rate limiting, encryption)
- Self‑hosted control over data and domain
- Open‑source MIT license
- Easy deployment via Docker or native scripts
- Lightweight stack suitable for low‑resource servers
- Automatic SSL and certificate renewal
- No data retention beyond 24 hours for compliance
- Zero‑dependency frontend for fast load times
Disadvantages
- Requires ownership of a domain and correct DNS MX/A records
- Port 25, 80, and 443 must be open and reachable
- Setup complexity for non‑technical users
- Limited to 24‑hour retention – not suitable for long‑term storage
- No built‑in user accounts or email forwarding
- Potential email deliverability issues if not properly configured
- Requires manual SSL renewal if Docker image is not used
- Limited scalability compared to commercial disposable email services
Installation
docker
Download docker-compose.yml, edit domain lines, run docker compose up -d
native
git clone repository, run sudo ./setup.sh
compose
docker compose up -d
FAQ
What is SpamEater?
SpamEater is a self-hosted, open-source disposable email server that prioritizes privacy and security. It provides temporary email addresses that automatically delete emails after 24 hours with no recovery option.
How do I configure DNS for SpamEater for private/personal use?
For private/personal use (recommended for better security), configure: MX example.com 10 mail.example.com A mail.example.com YOUR_SERVER_IP A app.example.com YOUR_SERVER_IP This uses a subdomain (app.example.com) for the web interface to provide better security isolation.
How do I deploy SpamEater using Docker?
1. Download the docker-compose.yml: wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rufftruffles/spameater/main/docker-compose.yml 2. Edit the domain in docker-compose.yml (lines 18 and 45) to set your EMAIL_DOMAIN and WEB_DOMAIN. 3. Deploy with: docker compose up -d For detailed instructions, see the Docker Deployment section in the README.
I'm not receiving emails. What should I check?
- Verify DNS: dig MX your-domain.com and dig A mail.your-domain.com - Check the SMTP service: For Docker: docker exec -it spameater supervisorctl status haraka and check logs For Native: systemctl status haraka and check /opt/spameater/logs/haraka.log - Test SMTP port: telnet your-domain.com 25 - Check firewall to ensure ports 25, 80, 443 are open.
How does the 24-hour deletion work and can I recover deleted emails?
All emails are automatically and permanently deleted after 24 hours with absolutely no recovery option. This is a core privacy feature of SpamEater.
What security features does SpamEater include?
SpamEater includes ModSecurity WAF with OWASP Core Rule Set, fail2ban intrusion prevention, CSRF and XSS protection, rate limiting per IP and per inbox, SQL injection prevention, automatic SSL with Let's Encrypt, security headers (CSP, HSTS, X-Frame-Options), email body encryption at rest (AES-256-GCM), and no tracking, analytics, or external dependencies.
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