I like RDNSBLs – they are extremely useful, and when used properly, they can reduce your SPAM intake by 90% or more easily. When they don’t work well though, they kind of suck. No, actually, they really suck. One big problem with SORBS is it’s overly aggressively blacklist of supposed dynamic IP addresses – many of which are not dynamic. Add to that the mandatory registration process required to de-list an ip, the molasses-like slowness of their website and their moronic use of a self-signed SSL certificate. I would consider it a joke if there was humour to be found in the situation.
While the use of SORBS might offer some SPAM reduction – I do not think it is worth the additional hassle, there are plenty of other perfectly good blacklists out there to choose from – SpamCop, SpamHaus, UCEProtect being a few.
SORBS was also acquired in 2009 by GFI Software.
OK, I never thought I would ever hear anyone say something positive about UCEProtect. They are the biggest scammers of them all – holding mail servers to ransom and ever-increasing the amount of money you have to pay to get delisted, when you were incorrectly listed in the first place.
SORBS also needs to stop being used by everyone. It is ridiculously hopeless, as you pointed out.
Thanks for the comment Chuck. I do disagree with the attempt to create a revenue stream by charging for de-listing, but I also find UCE-Protect Level 1 BL to be useful. Those who run DNSBLs do need some method of financially supporting their efforts without extorting those who get listed – legitimately or otherwise. I have not dealt with UCE-Protect for a listed IP, but I have dealt with their backscatter.org list. It was our fault though, because we were sending out NDRs likely crazy, but getting de-listed was no picnic.
how ironic – the SORBS registration email went straight to my GMail spam folder.
Sounds like they were being DDoS’d today – sucks to be them.
They’re even blocking Gmail.
“550 550 5.2.1 Mailbox unavailable. Your IP address 74.125.82.52 is blacklisted using SORBS-ALL. Details: Currently Sending Spam See:http://www.sorbs.net/lookup.shtml?74.125.82.52. (state 17).”
Wow. Real reliable outfit there.
I really wish someone could explain to be how a “service” like SORBS is considered legitimate. It was a knee-jerk reaction to the escalating spam problem and rather than do something intelligent, orgs flocked to outfits like SORBS because their over-worked, undertrained IT staff took the “I don’t have time to actually fix the problem” approach to spam. I can’t wish enough horrible things to happen to this blight of a “service”