SORBS Blocklist Reportedly Sold For $451K

palegray.net writes "SORBS, a well-known email blocklist provider, has reportedly been sold for $451k. Early reports indicate an acquisition by GFI, a company specializing in various communications services. In recent years, SORBS has been the target of frequent accusations of mismanagement and poor conduct, leading many to wonder if this turn in events might signal a chance for improved behavior. Citing lack of ISP support, the blocklist released statements earlier this year that they would be shuttering their operation."

Comments

Too bad

[Jazz-Masta]

It is unfortunate that SORBS has gotten a bad rap. Although it has been plagued on the administrative side of things, its list was still helpful in detecting and removing spam.

GFI is a good company - but I am betting the list will no longer be free to use. Everything they sell is licenced on a "per mailbox" structure, and as such I imagine the list will be implemented into their anti-spam products. There may also be a nominal fee (per box) to use the list with other spam filters.

Re:Too bad

[thijsh]

[quote]Although it has been plagued on the administrative side of things[/quote] SORBS administrators (or other participants) plagued anyone who is just kindly informing about their list. In my experience they are uncoöperative, arrogant and some are even sadist BOFH kind of people why get their biggest kick out of tormenting people with problems. When my host in the US was added together with a huge IP range as 'spam friendly subnet' I informed what I should do, and if the listing was legitimate if should move away to show my anti-spam support. They just enjoyed ridiculing and outright insulting the people who come for help... At one point they even blocked my university mail servers in Amsterdam for some random reason (relay maybe), but that only lasted for a few days because of pressure I guess...

I long theorized that the crappy SORBS listings were intentional and these administrators just love to add random ranges of IPs to the list to laugh their ass off when they mess around with the hordes of mailserver admins that come looking for help.

Re:Too bad

[palegray.net]

If the new owners decide to continue the trend of irresponsible behavior that has been the hallmark of SORBS in recent times, at least there's a U.S.-based entity that can be more easily sued by for losses now.

Re:Is this good or bad?

[cptsexy]

It took me about 6 months. I took over as the lead IT guy for a company who had their own Win Small Business server, but didn't have in house people to manage it. The initial setup wasn't done correctly and thus Sorbs had them blacklisted (along with several others I might add). I found and fixed the issues within my first week and then followed their process for removal and six months later finally got an email that I had been removed and things started working. The problem is that it seems a lot of people still use this list, because I know several of our vendors and customers were having trouble getting our email during this time. You can't expect that a business can wait 6 months to be removed. How is it fair for my company, who hired an incorporated company to set up their small business server, to have to pay SORBS bullshit fine? Esp when I've talked to other administrators who have paid it and still had to wait a bit. As far as I'm concerned SORBS is a confederacy of douchenozzles, and I for one wish they would have gone the way of geocities.