All about DNSBLs, aka blocklists/blacklists // Since 2001 // Published by Al Iverson
Spews.org Domain Expired
Thanks for Joe Sniderman for the tip that the domain spews.org has expired and was grabbed up by somebody that appears to be a domain speculator or parked domain monetizer. The SPEWS blocking list is long-dead, since August, 2006.
Status of ybl.megacity.org: DEAD
There once was a DNSBL called ybl.megacity.org. Exactly when it was created is lost to the mists of time, but I'm guessing it was somewhere around the end of 2001 or beginning of 2002, after its maintainer, Derek Balling, parted ways with Yahoo. I recall that the point of the list was to be able to reject mail from Yahoo.
Today, reader John Carver kindly wrote in to let me know that this blocking list is indeed defunct and has "listed the world," installing a wildcard DNS record with the result that if you use ybl.megacity.org in your mail server configuration, you're going to reject 100% of your mail. Query of any domain or IP address under ybl.megacity.org will result in a "127.0.0.2" positive response, that will make a mail server think it should reject the email message in question.
If you use ybl.megacity.org as a DNSBL list in your mail server configuration, I strongly recommend you remove it immediately. The list is long dead, and use of the list will result in you accidentally rejecting 100% of inbound mail.
As recently as 2006, the DNSBL also responded with text warning that it was defunct: "521 The IP is Blacklisted by ybl.megacity.org. This zone has been deprecated for about two years. Maybe if it starts blocking your mail you'll notice and stop using it." This is no longer the case; the text record does not seem to be present.
See also the Ipswitch ImailServer knowledge base article on this topic.
Today, reader John Carver kindly wrote in to let me know that this blocking list is indeed defunct and has "listed the world," installing a wildcard DNS record with the result that if you use ybl.megacity.org in your mail server configuration, you're going to reject 100% of your mail. Query of any domain or IP address under ybl.megacity.org will result in a "127.0.0.2" positive response, that will make a mail server think it should reject the email message in question.
If you use ybl.megacity.org as a DNSBL list in your mail server configuration, I strongly recommend you remove it immediately. The list is long dead, and use of the list will result in you accidentally rejecting 100% of inbound mail.
As recently as 2006, the DNSBL also responded with text warning that it was defunct: "521 The IP
Beware: "Fake" Blocking list at nszones.com
Spamhaus reports that they have "uncovered a fake spam filter company which was pirating and selling DNSBL data stolen from major anti-spam systems including Spamhaus, CBL and SURBL, republishing the stolen data under the name 'nszones.com.'"
Ouch. I guess if you publish a free or easily accessed spam filtering tool, it is inevitable that at some point somebody would try to take the data and repackage it against copyright and against the data owner's wishes.
If you find yourself listed on this blocking list; don't fret. If what Spamhaus says is true (and I have little reason to doubt them), then this list is not really being used to block email. (And should not be used to block email.) Ignore it, stay listed, and eventually they'll move on to easier targets.
If you're a system administrator, DO NOT use any of the DNSBL zones at nszones.com for spam filtering purposes. As its intent may not be above-board, I would have strong concerns about the possibility of listing things only to engender a payment for delisting -- for reasons having nothing to do with spam fighting.
Ouch. I guess if you publish a free or easily accessed spam filtering tool, it is inevitable that at some point somebody would try to take the data and repackage it against copyright and against the data owner's wishes.
If you find yourself listed on this blocking list; don't fret. If what Spamhaus says is true (and I have little reason to doubt them), then this list is not really being used to block email. (And should not be used to block email.) Ignore it, stay listed, and eventually they'll move on to easier targets.
If you're a system administrator, DO NOT use any of the DNSBL zones at nszones.com for spam filtering purposes. As its intent may not be above-board, I would have strong concerns about the possibility of listing things only to engender a payment for delisting -- for reasons having nothing to do with spam fighting.
SURBL Announces New Experimental Blocking List
Today, the team behind the SURBL domain blaclists announced a new, experimental blocking list: xs.surbl.org.
As announced on the SURBL-Announce list: "An experimental source of some snowshoe and pill domains is now being published in xs.surbl.org. SURBL considers this feed to be experimental and would very much welcome feedback about it, particularly about any false positives. Does anyone know anyone who actually wants to receive snowshoe messages?"
You can read the entire announcement here.
As announced on the SURBL-Announce list: "An experimental source of some snowshoe and pill domains is now being published in xs.surbl.org. SURBL considers this feed to be experimental and would very much welcome feedback about it, particularly about any false positives. Does anyone know anyone who actually wants to receive snowshoe messages?"
You can read the entire announcement here.
Status of dnsbl.karmasphere.com: SHUTTING DOWN
As messaged to the Karmasphere-Users and Karmasphere-Announce mailing lists, the Karmasphere Reputation Services data feeds are being retired. This means that the associated blocking list(s), including the karmasphere.email-sender.dnsbl.karmasphere.com DNSBL zone, and any other DNSBL/DNSWL zones under karmasphere.com. It is unclear to the author if karmasphere.org is similarly affected.
Karmasphere has indicated that the feed service will be discontinued on November 16, 2009. It's very important that all Karmasphere-using mail administrators remove any Karmasphere-hosted DNSBLs from their configuration before that date, else inbound receipt of legitimate email messages could be delayed or otherwise impacted.
For more information, click on over to Spam Resource to read a copy of the Karmasphere notice.
Karmasphere has indicated that the feed service will be discontinued on November 16, 2009. It's very important that all Karmasphere-using mail administrators remove any Karmasphere-hosted DNSBLs from their configuration before that date, else inbound receipt of legitimate email messages could be delayed or otherwise impacted.
For more information, click on over to Spam Resource to read a copy of the Karmasphere notice.
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