Multiple sources are reporting (and Proofpoint has confirmed -- see below) that the SORBS blocklist is shutting down.
According to SORBS website, they published the following DNS zones:
- badconf.rhsbl.sorbs.net
- block.dnsbl.sorbs.net
- dnsbl.sorbs.net
- dul.dnsbl.sorbs.net
- escalations.dnsbl.sorbs.net
- http.dnsbl.sorbs.net
- misc.dnsbl.sorbs.net
- new.spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
- nomail.rhsbl.sorbs.net
- noserver.dnsbl.sorbs.net
- old.spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
- recent.spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
- rhsbl.sorbs.net
- smtp.dnsbl.sorbs.net
- socks.dnsbl.sorbs.net
- spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
- web.dnsbl.sorbs.net
- zombie.dnsbl.sorbs.net
You can find analysis on SORBS and this shutdown over on Mickey Chandler's Spamtacular blog. Word to the Wise had previously published a lengthy series of issues and concerns surrounding SORBS going all the way back to 2010.
Proofpoint confirmed SORBS closing to the Register, providing the following statement:
"The decision to sunset a product is never an easy one and was made after thorough consideration of various factors impacting the service's sustainability. We can confirm that SORBS was decommissioned on June 5, 2024, and the service no longer contains reputation data. Given the wide range of potential replacement solutions in the market, Proofpoint cannot make recommendations nor endorse any specific replacement product; this is dependent on an organization's needs."
As of the publishing of this note, the SORBS website itself does not seem to indicate that things are shutting down; but note the confirmation of shutdown by Proofpoint, as quoted in various press linked above.