Spamhaus publicly released its new Domain Block List (DBL)1 earlier this week, after beta testing it for much of last year. They claim they have had ‘exceptionally positive’ results from the testing, and the premise is really quite interesting.
Up to now, people have been using separate tools to verify different parts of email messages and to block accordingly. Specifically,
– RBL lists are used to verify IP addresses and block messages at the connection level
– SURBL and URIBL lists are used to verify the links contained in the message bodies
Spamhaus’ new DBL list puts those tools together in a single filter. By checking the domain names that URI weblinks are based upon and combining that information with their IP address lists, they have developed a much more thorough and effective tool for blocking spam.
Another really interesting aspect is the refresh rate: the information collected is rebuilt and republished every 120 seconds! So, when new spam waves break out, the filter is able to react and begin working within 2 minutes of getting that information.
The DBL is available now to Spamhaus’ Datafeed users, but I encourage everyone to check the details on their site.
I would love to hear from anyone who either took part in the beta test or is already using the list to get your reviews.
References:
1. http://www.spamhaus.org/news.lasso?article=655
Leave a Comment