How do you protect Email IP/Domain Reputation?

[gerzai]

Just putting a question out into the wild.

I was always had the understanding that if I sent using a dedicated domain, rDNS, mx, a dedicated static SMTP IPv4, and authenticated my emails with SPF/SenderID and Domain Keys/DKIM then I will have effectively protected my sending reputation from any neighbouring IPs that are sending SPAM.

However, it has come to my attention that my IPs are black/blocklisted by /24 or /22 IP blocks.
And, as a result, my inbox placement rate and overall deliverability has significantly dropped.

Does anyone have any idea what I should be doing to protect a set of good sending IPs from nearby bad sending IPs?

 

[Infopro]

However, it has come to my attention that my IPs are black/blocklisted

How did it come to your attention? What I mean is, what list(s) is the IP on that tells you you're blocked?

 

[gerzai]

How did it come to your attention? What I mean is, what list(s) is the IP on that tells you you're blocked?

Here are a couple who block IP ranges:

UCEPROTECT-NETWORK - UCEPROTECT®-Network - Germanys first Spam protection database

Invaluement - ivmSIP/24 DNSBL, the /24 invaluement Sender&#146s IP blacklist, an "rbl"

Spamhaus - The Spamhaus Project - CSS

 

[Infopro]

And your IP is listed on all of these?

 

[gerzai]

Every now and again. But they come and go, depending on the frequency of spam seen on the IP range in question.

 

[Infopro]

Sounds to me like you're sending out unsolicited bulk email, and being reported. Just guessing of course.

 

[gerzai]

lol, I know it sounds a bit like "i know this guy who has this problem" story, but this is not the case.
Basically, i'm sending an opt-in newsletter for various websites, but a group of IPs in my subnet has either been hacked or is sending spam. My newsletters now don't go to inbox or get rejected because of these blocks. As far as I know, the mailings I send havent had any spam complaints or hit any spam traps. The individual IPs i send on arent blacklisted.

So, I need to know how I can shield my IPs (or domains?) from others.

 

[Infopro]

Shouldn't be a need for that I don't think. I'm no mail expert, but if you're sending email out on a dedicated IP and are taking all precautions as you mention, you shouldn't be getting blocked due to other IP addresses.

When you put your IP in this search tool:
/http://www.spamhaus.org/lookup/

Does it come back as listed, and if it does, what does it say there, exactly?

 

[cgimickalo]

One thing I found out recently, the hard way, is we had a very similar situation with an IP assigned to use. Then found out the IP had a bad reputation before we got it from our datacenter. The IP is assigned to a new domain but they where blacklisted almost right off the bat. I was told that there is no way to determine an IP's previous history before it's re-issued. Now this may or may not be true but this is what I was told by our datacenter that setup our new server, assigned up the IP's. It turned out to be a real nightmare for us. Hope you have better luck resolving your issue then we did.

Mike

 

[gerzai]

@ Infopro
spamhaus reports no blacklist issues with our IPs.

@cgimickalo
you can kinda see IP reputation at senderscore.org and senderbase.org
Again these seem to be ok except for on senderscore our filter rates and sender rejected is high-medium.

UCPROTECT basically says tough luck if you are a good sender in a range of bad senders, unless you pay us X amount of USD per month to be whitelisted.

 

[Infopro]

@ Infopro
spamhaus reports no blacklist issues with our IPs.

...

Then whats this post about, exactly? You mention in your first post:

However, it has come to my attention that my IPs are black/blocklisted by /24 or /22 IP blocks.

You're not on a dedicated IP, are you?

 

[gerzai]

I want to know what other people are doing to protect their IP space. When other people within the same subnet are abusing people with spam, the whole subnet can get blocklisted. This leaves good senders penalised for something they did not do.

For example;

Good Sender sends his email from IP range 1.2.3.1 - 1.2.3.15

Bad Sender sends his email from IP range 1.2.3.150 - 1.2.3.200

Result = All IPs in range 1.2.3.0/24 (1.2.3.XXX) are blocklisted by anti-spam company x, y and z.

I thought using SPF and DKIM was enough to disassociate yourself with other IPs in your subnet.