Server Admin portion of Why Am I Blocked?

[Miss Betsy]

If your email has suddenly been blocked by the SpamCop blocklist, it is probably because of:

• auto-responses that are replying to spam with forged spamtrap email
  addresses (such as Out-of-Office/Vacation notices, virus notifications, and 'bounces' created after accepting the email);
  
• a computer with a virus that sends spam without the owner's knowledge;
  
• a computer that has been compromised and spammers are remotely controlling it to transmit their spew;
  

The SpamCop BL listing will expire automatically within a specific period of time based primarily on when the last spam came from that IP address. See SCBL will delist in short time explained

Am I really listed in the SpamCop Blocklist?:

You can check the status of any server by entering its address at http://www.spamcop.net/bl.shtml. The reason an IP address is listed can also be obtained from that page.

If the blocklist only lists spamtraps, then the likely culprits are auto-responders or misdirected bounces (that is, bounce emails sent after acceptance of the email instead of being rejected by the server during the SMTP phase, which would include emails such as "no such user", "non-existent mailbox", and/or "quota exceeded").

If the blocklist only lists reports, you have a spammer at work.

If the blocklist lists spam traps and reports,

• You have your firewall configured to allow a compromised machine on your network to spew to the world
  (you do have a firewall in place, don't you?)
  
• the SMTP/Auth exploit of an Exchange server is in progress, see these links:
  http://news.spamcop.net/cgi-bin/fom?file=372
  http://www.winnetmag.com/article/articleid/40507/40507.html
  http://www.winnetmag.com/article/articleid/42406/42406.html
  How To Block Open SMTP Relaying and Clean Up Exchange Server SMTP Queues
  To prevent SMTP relaying with Microsoft Exchange Server
  (NOTE: While commonly seen on Exchange servers, this condition is possible on all platforms)
  
• Your PHP mailer program has been taken over by criminals.
  (You did not know that your PHP bulletin board had a very vulnerable mailer program on it?)
  ((You did not know that you had PHP installed and running?))
  

Please also see:

• How can I get removed from SpamCop's blocking system?
  
• John's explanation at John's revised post, for Why Am I Blocked FAQ
  
• Merlyn's explanation at FAQ Entry: Why is my email blocked?
  

Post the IP address that is blocked in the SpamCop Blocking List Help or newsgroup. There are many knowledgeable people in the SpamCop groups who will help you figure out why and offer solutions. If you need to know what triggered the report from a spamtrap, contact SpamCop deputies via Web submission form. Only they can see what caused spam trap reports.