SORBS - Is There a Better Spam Blacklist?

rootnl asks: "Recently I decided to upgrade my email server with better spam detection and decided to use the SORBS blacklist. It is a very aggressive blacklist and could be deemed quite effective. However, I discovered two totally legal servers currently being blocked by their Spam 'o Matic service: a Google Gmail server (64.233.182.185), and another server belonging to an ISP called Orange (193.252.22.249). Now, normally one would think these providers would probably get themselves de-listed, but the process provided revolves around donating money. As I just happen to have a friend that is using the said ISP, I have to seriously reconsider using SORBS. What is your experience with SORBS? If you have alternatives, what would you suggest as a better blacklist service?"

Comments

Re:Dunno about better

[melonman]

The error in your reasoning starts when you assume that self-appointed do-gooders have the right to infringe the rights of third parties. (I'm not going to answer any posts about how actually it's just a list and no-one has to use it bla bla - save it for the bar-room barristers.) Vigilantes are always a menace, especially when they have a policy of hurting the innocent.

I think there's a pretty fundamental difference between a quasi-domestic ISP and a server park running dedicated servers which are the legal responsibility of completely independent companies. The only reason my machines share an IP range with spammers is because (like almost everyone), I'm not rich enough to buy my own pipe and deal directly with IANA.

And SPEWS' policy didn't make me put pressure on my ISP, it just made me vow never ever to use SPEWS on any server I have anything to do with, and to bitch about SPEWS on every possible occasion until the end of time. Part of fighting spam is getting the masses on the side of fighting spam, and I'm afraid that my starting position with anyone fighting spam now is "Is this just a cover for inflicting pain on the innocent?"

If the SPEWS ban had become a real problem I would rather have paid for a separate clean SMTP server than cave into the spam mafia. It's not that I like spam, I just hate bullies more. (We have since changed server parks, but this had nothing to do with SPEWS or spam.)

The good news is that, from my experience, almost no-one I ever wanted to send mail to uses SPEWS. That's the flip-side of blocking huge IP ranges in order to feel important: people with a life realise that being able to email more than 5% of the IP range is A Good Thing and simply sideline you.