Summary
While not universally considered a primary blacklist on par with industry giants like Spamhaus, the Invaluement blacklist (including ivmSIP and ivmSIP/24) continues to be relevant for email deliverability. Its ongoing impact stems from its specialized focus on 'Spam Initiated Programs' and problematic sending behaviors, leading many specific mail providers and security-conscious organizations to still utilize it for filtering. Listings on Invaluement often signal serious underlying issues for senders and can lead to direct mail rejections or delivery to spam folders, making monitoring and resolution a necessary component of a comprehensive deliverability strategy.
Key findings
- Ongoing Relevance: The Invaluement blacklist, specifically ivmSIP and ivmSIP/24, remains active and relevant, with documentation from Invaluement.com, MXToolbox, Mailhardener, and Spamfighter.com confirming its continued operational status and use as a reference by some mail systems.
- Specific Provider Utilization: Numerous providers, including BT Internet, FireEye, MailRoute, Mimecast, and Barracuda, have been observed using Invaluement to reject mail at the gateway. Other providers, such as Cox, may accept the mail but use Invaluement to filter it directly to the spam folder, impacting inbox placement.
- Indicator of Serious Issues: A listing on Invaluement frequently points to more severe underlying problems such as spam traps, compromised servers, or botnet activity, underscoring its utility in identifying highly problematic spam sources that require immediate attention from senders.
- Integrated by System Admins: Technical guides, like those on Howtoforge.com, and community discussions on ServerFault indicate that Invaluement's RBLs are still considered and integrated into recommended settings for anti-spam measures on mail servers like Postfix and Exim by system administrators.
Key considerations
- Monitor and Respond: Senders should actively monitor for Invaluement listings, as these can lead to unexpected delivery failures and often point to serious underlying issues like spam traps or compromised accounts that require immediate attention. Promptly resolving any listings is crucial for restoring full deliverability.
- Beyond Top-Tier Blacklists: While Invaluement may not be a top-tier global blacklist, it is still integrated into the anti-spam measures of some smaller Internet Service Providers (ISPs), security-conscious organizations, and niche mail servers. Ignoring it can lead to localized delivery problems and impact specific recipient groups.
- Understand Its Niche: Invaluement specializes in identifying 'Spam Initiated Programs,' botnets, hijacked systems, and poorly run Email Service Providers. Its focus on behavioral spam patterns makes it a complementary tool in a comprehensive deliverability strategy, as it targets a different 'flavor' of bad sending compared to general IP blacklists.
What email marketers say
10 marketer opinions
Expanding on its established role within the email ecosystem, the Invaluement blacklist continues to hold relevance for deliverability, particularly due to its specialized focus on detecting problematic sender behaviors. While it may not always be categorized with the largest global blacklists, its active use by numerous specific mail servers and security-conscious organizations means a listing can significantly impede email delivery, often resulting in direct rejections or diversion to spam folders.
Key opinions
- Active and Niche Role: Invaluement remains active and relevant, maintaining a niche yet persistent role in email filtering, particularly for specialized or security-conscious mail servers.
- Direct Deliverability Impact: It significantly impacts deliverability, leading to email rejections at the gateway by providers like BT Internet, FireEye, MailRoute, Mimecast, and Barracuda, or mail being filtered directly to the spam folder by others such as Cox.
- Signals Serious Sender Problems: Listings on Invaluement are crucial indicators of serious underlying issues, including spam trap hits, compromised accounts or servers, or participation in sophisticated spam operations, all requiring immediate attention.
- Behavioral Focus & Complementary Value: Invaluement is recognized for its specialized focus on behavioral patterns that indicate spamming activity, making it a valuable, complementary component in comprehensive spam filtering strategies by targeting a different 'flavor' of bad sending.
Key considerations
- Essential Monitoring: Senders must actively monitor for Invaluement listings, as even localized issues can point to significant underlying problems that demand prompt resolution to restore full deliverability.
- Beyond Top-Tier Focus: While not always a top-tier blacklist, its utilization by smaller ISPs, security-conscious organizations, and niche RBLs means ignoring it can lead to unexpected delivery failures for specific recipient groups.
- Deliverability Metrics Caveat: Standard deliverability statistics may not accurately reflect the impact of Invaluement, as emails might be accepted but still routed to the spam folder, potentially masking true deliverability issues.
- Historical Context: While generally active, specific historical data points regarding its use by certain providers, such as BT Internet in 2017, highlight that the landscape is dynamic, and current monitoring is always advisable.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks initially states that Invaluement is used by BT Internet. She later updates her information, noting that she last observed bounces at BT citing Invaluement in August 2017, indicating that her current data might be outdated regarding its active use.
4 Feb 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that numerous providers, including BT Internet, FireEye, MailRoute, Mimecast, Barracuda, and others, use Invaluement to reject mail at the gateway. He also notes that other providers, such as Cox, may accept the mail but use Invaluement to filter it to the spam folder. David emphasizes that Invaluement is not a blacklist to be ignored, and cautions that standard deliverability statistics may not accurately reflect instances where emails are sent to spam.
1 Dec 2022 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
1 expert opinions
According to insights from email deliverability experts like Word to the Wise, the Invaluement blacklist, along with several others including SORBS, Barracuda, and SpamCop, has notably decreased in its overall relevance within today's dynamic blacklist environment. These lists, while once influential, now exert considerably less impact on general email deliverability compared to their historical significance.
Key opinions
- Reduced Relevance: The Invaluement blacklist has experienced a significant decline in its overall importance and influence on email deliverability within the current landscape.
- Broader Trend: This decrease in relevance for Invaluement is part of a wider industry trend, as other long-standing blacklists such as SORBS, Barracuda, and SpamCop have also seen their impact lessen over time.
- Evolving Landscape: The current blacklist ecosystem has undergone a transformation, leading to many previously prominent lists, including Invaluement, losing much of their ability to dictate email delivery outcomes.
Key considerations
- Focus on Active Lists: Email marketers should prioritize monitoring blacklists and filtering mechanisms that currently hold significant influence with major Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and corporate mail servers, rather than historical lists with waning impact.
- Historical Context: While Invaluement and similar blacklists may still be mentioned, their diminished relevance indicates they typically do not warrant the same level of concern or active monitoring for broad deliverability as they once did.
- Adapt Monitoring Strategies: It is crucial for senders to regularly update and adapt their deliverability monitoring strategies to reflect the current, evolving blacklist landscape, focusing resources on the most impactful threats to inbox placement today.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that the Invaluement blacklist, along with others like SORBS, Barracuda, and SpamCop, has lost much of its relevance over time in the current blacklist landscape.
8 May 2022 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
7 technical articles
The Invaluement blacklist, encompassing ivmSIP and ivmSIP/24, continues to be a relevant factor in email deliverability. Current documentation from multiple sources confirms its active operational status and specialized focus on 'Spam Initiated Programs' and poor sending behaviors, indicating its ongoing use by various mail systems and administrators for identifying and blocking highly problematic spam sources.
Key findings
- Actively Operational: Invaluement is confirmed as an active Real-time Blackhole List (RBL) by its own documentation and widely used diagnostic tools like MXToolbox, Mailhardener, and Spamfighter.com, signaling its continued status in email filtering.
- Specialized Targeting: Its blacklists, ivmSIP and ivmSIP/24, specifically target malicious activities such as hijacked systems, botnets, and poorly managed Email Service Providers, maintaining relevance for blocking high-risk spam.
- Integrated by Mail Servers: Technical guides, like those from Howtoforge.com, and discussions among system administrators on ServerFault, show Invaluement RBLs are still recommended and integrated into anti-spam configurations for mail servers like Postfix and Exim.
- Impact on Sender Reputation: Postmark's deliverability guide acknowledges Invaluement's contribution to overall sender reputation, advising senders to monitor it as an actively maintained specialized blacklist.
Key considerations
- Monitor Its Listings: Senders must monitor Invaluement listings, as its continued use by various mail systems can lead to delivery issues, even if its broad market impact is sometimes debated.
- Targeted Relevance: While not always a 'top-tier' global blacklist in terms of sheer volume, its specialized focus means it remains highly relevant for identifying severe sender issues and can significantly affect deliverability to specific recipients or organizations.
- Complementary to Deliverability Strategy: Due to its niche targeting of specific spam behaviors, Invaluement serves as a valuable, complementary layer within a comprehensive email deliverability and anti-spam strategy.
Technical article
Documentation from Invaluement.com explains that their blacklist (ivmSIP and ivmSIP/24) specifically targets 'Spam Initiated Programs' and related bad sending behaviors, including hijacked systems, botnets, and poorly run Email Service Providers. This specialized focus means it continues to be relevant for identifying and blocking highly problematic spam sources, indicating its ongoing operational status.
11 Aug 2022 - Invaluement.com
Technical article
Documentation from MXToolbox, a prominent email diagnostic tool, lists Invaluement as one of the many active Real-time Blackhole Lists (RBLs). It notes that Invaluement's listings (like ivmSIP and ivmSIP/24) specifically target sources identified as originating spam or having poor sending reputations, confirming its continued operation and use as a reference by some mail systems.
1 Jun 2024 - MXToolbox
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