Jump to content

Living with the blocklist?


prusswan

Recommended Posts

Hi prusswan, welcome.

Usually, it will take more than a minority of errant users to get a particular server listed in the SCbl - see What is the SpamCop Blocking List (SCbl)? In most instances SC offers (by default) very detailed reports to mail administrators long before before any listing, allowing them to pinpoint those errant users.

An exception might be when spamtraps (only) are tripped. Those have a higher weighting than human submissions and do not generate reports. In that instance, it is the result of serious spammers abusing the mail service and the IT department should be very much concerned (and already aware) about the typically huge demands on their network resources (also adversely affecting regular mail operations) by illegal user agents and involving who knows what other security issues in the network.

In any event, listing in the SCbl is an "early warning" of network abuse, allowing mail administrators the opportunity to find and isolate the source(s) before continued abuse tips the mail service into more serious and unrelenting blocklists. Unlike most, removal from the SCbl is automatic and rapid (<24 hours) once the spam stops.

Under the circumstances, bombarding the IT department is a very reasonable response from the inconvenienced genuine user group. They (the IT department) have been asleep at the wheel or are inadequately resourced to do their job (and need the complaints to prove it).

P.S. Administrators (and users) can monitor block list status with http://www.senderbase.org/ ("Search IP, domain or a network owner") which will have the advantage of showing other outgoing servers in the network bloc and checks several other blocklists in addition to the SCbl - including the CBL (with a link to any listing detail there), the CBL being excellent for picking up evidence of server compromise (and usually providing helpful hints about the "disinfection" measures needed in that case). SC's own online real-time SCbl checker is at https://www.spamcop.net/bl.shtml which has other useful links.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sometimes a single mail server is used by many people (say a school), and a few errant users can cause problems for the rest. So, what can "the rest" of us do other than bombarding the IT department?

Split from pinned FAQ http://forum.spamcop.net/forums/topic/972-why-am-i-blocked-faq/

Just sign up with Gmail or Hotmail. Don't speak much for your "IT" department.

If they are failing they should turn over the handling of email to someone who can (Gmail?)

I have always found never rely on your ISP for email so-far Gmail is the best free email around IMO

Also learn about encryption for colleagues email simplest is Thunderbird with add-on

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/thunderbird/addon/enigmail/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"If they are failing they should turn over the handling of email to someone who can (Gmail?)

I have always found never rely on your ISP for email so-far Gmail is the best free email around IMO"

Mileage may vary. When Starband turned its email over to Gmail, I found it became useless.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"If they are failing they should turn over the handling of email to someone who can (Gmail?) I have always found never rely on your ISP for email so-far Gmail is the best free email around IMO"

Mileage may vary. When Starband turned its email over to Gmail, I found it became useless.

Best thing that happened for me was when SpamCop Email (they lost interest in keeping up) was turned over to CISco spam filtered email

I had mine diverted to Gmail (but not Gmail domain name)

So far not getting anything but ham through CISco servers. Just don't see spam

I do write/compose from that WebMail account but like to POP messages I receive

SpamCop email just got better

For mail between colleagues get used to using encryption

I have free CCleaner, clean computer on boot-up, since doing so Google seem to of lost tracks of me. At least target adverts have stopped!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...