

Domain reputation plays an increasing role, as do verification and authentication technologies such as SPF and DKIM. Plus, while IP reputation is the most important factor, it isn’t the only one. It may be possible to re-establish an IP’s good reputation or have it removed from a blocklist, but it takes a long time and may not succeed. A user sent messages to a list that includes a honeypot address.The server has been compromised and used to send spam.It is part of a block of IP addresses associated with junk mail.

If a server’s IP address gets a bad reputation, its emails are going nowhere, but how does an IP become notorious in the first place? ISPs use similar techniques, employing third-party blocklists and internal databases to assess the reputation of an IP address, the unique number that identifies a server on the internet. In our recent article about configuring SpamAssassin with cPanel, we explored how the filter identifies incoming junk mail with language tests, message digests, and blocklists. In this article, we’re going to look at how they work and how, with help from cPanel & WHM, you can easily set up a relay to send your email to a Smarthost.įirst, let’s consider why the internet’s spam-fighting system might have a low opinion of messages sent from your server. Relaying messages through a Smarthost is one of the most reliable ways to solve delivery issues. Server administrators are expected to make sure emails sent from their server are above suspicion. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and inbox providers want to stop spam before it gets to users, and they don’t mind if a few legitimate messages are caught in the cross-fire.

Messages that go missing in this way are collateral damage in the never-ending war against spam. Somewhere out there, in the wilds of the internet, a system beyond your control scrutinizes messages and thinks: Nope! Email delivery issues can be incredibly frustrating. Do your users’ emails disappear somewhere between your server and the recipient? They send emails, but the messages never reach their destination.
