SPAMHAUS and the PBL

[Nerigal]

i got a question about spamhaus.org

the exim.conf is setup to use this

#require verify = sender

# deny using spamhaus
deny message = Email blocked by SPAMHAUS - to unblock see http://www.example.com/
# only for domains that do want to be tested against RBLs
hosts = !+relay_hosts
domains = +use_rbl_domains
!authenticated = *
dnslists = zen.spamhaus.org

after a close look into the zen.spamhaus.org utility i found that this zone include 3 BL ... xbl.spamhaus.org sbl.spamhaus.org and pbl.spamhaus.org

but

like it is said in the spamhaus.org site ...


Should I use the PBL to block access to my webserver?
No! A listing in the PBL does not mean there is anything 'wrong' with the IP address or end user. A PBL listing does not mean an address is an open proxy or run by a spammer. All it means is that the IP address has been designated as 'not allowed to make direct-to-MX SMTP connections'. The majority of legitimate connections to webservers come from IPs listed in PBL. Please do not block innocent users.

http://www.spamhaus.org/faq/answers.lasso?section=Spamhaus PBL

so i wondered if it could be better to use the sbl-xbl.spamhaus.org insted of the zen.spamhaus.org to block incoming mail with exim

?

thanks

 

[nobaloney]

Should I use the PBL to block access to my webserver?
No! A listing in the PBL does not mean there is anything 'wrong' with the IP address or end user. A PBL listing does not mean an address is an open proxy or run by a spammer. All it means is that the IP address has been designated as 'not allowed to make direct-to-MX SMTP connections'. The majority of legitimate connections to webservers come from IPs listed in PBL. Please do not block innocent users.

Look carefully. webserver.

You should use the PBL list to block access to your MX server (your mail server). You should NOT use it to block those IP#s from looking at your websites.

All current versions of SpamBlocker2 (used by DirectAdmin by default) and SpamBlocker3 (my development version) use the zen list, as it IS the list to use when blocking from your mailserver (not your webserver).

DirectAdmin doesn't use any mail blocklists to block connections to the webserver so unless you've done something yourself to block connections to your webserver based on email blocklists, you've got nothing to worry about using zen.

Jeff