Recent unexpected Spamhaus CSS listings and issues with delisting confirmation emails prompted investigation among email marketers. It was confirmed that a temporary Spamhaus database issue led to an increase in CSS listings, which were later cleared. Concurrently, many users experienced delays or failure to receive delisting confirmation emails, an issue acknowledged and investigated by Spamhaus, likely due to high request volumes. The CSS list itself targets IPs involved in 'snowshoe spam,' often dynamic or residential addresses, and listings typically clear automatically within 24 hours if the spamming activity ceases. Therefore, while a system anomaly was at play, the general best practice remains: always prioritize identifying and stopping the root cause of any spamming activity on your network or accounts before attempting delisting. Troubleshooting confirmation email issues involves checking spam folders, verifying submission details, and inspecting internal mail security.
14 marketer opinions
Addressing Spamhaus CSS listings and related delisting confirmation email challenges often requires a multi-faceted approach. While recent reports highlighted an increase in CSS listings due to a temporary database issue and delays in receiving confirmation emails, experts consistently emphasize that true false positives are rare. Most CSS listings indicate an underlying problem, such as server misconfigurations, compromised accounts, or poor sending practices. The CSS list itself frequently targets IPs involved in 'snowshoe spam,' often dynamic or residential addresses, which typically clear automatically within 24 hours if the spamming activity ceases. When confirmation emails are not received, a comprehensive check of spam folders, email address accuracy, and internal mail security systems is crucial. The primary directive for any sender is to diligently identify and rectify the root cause of the spamming activity on their network or accounts, as attempting delisting without addressing the source will likely lead to re-listing.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks responds that assuming listings are unjustified is a bad starting point and that false positives are rare. She suggests checking for server misconfigurations, hitting traps, verifying EHLO matches the IP's PTR record, and checking SpamHaus's reputation page in addition to the listing page.
3 Feb 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks suggests that an increase in CSS listings might be due to a tweaked threshold for landing on the CSS blocklist, potentially correlated with scheduled maintenance.
9 Aug 2023 - Email Geeks
3 expert opinions
Building on discussions about recent Spamhaus CSS listings and delisting email challenges, it has been confirmed that a temporary database issue at Spamhaus led to an increase in CSS listings, which were promptly cleared. Concurrently, delays in receiving delisting confirmation emails were acknowledged and are being investigated, with users advised to consult status pages for updates. Experts reiterate that the CSS list primarily targets IP addresses engaged in 'snowshoe spam,' a tactic using many IPs for small volumes of unsolicited mail, and such listings are typically dynamic, clearing automatically once the underlying spamming ceases. This reinforces the paramount importance of identifying and halting the source of any problematic sending activity. Furthermore, the difficulty in receiving delisting confirmation emails is a recognized issue, often due to misdirection to spam folders or system delays, highlighting the need for thorough checking of all mailboxes.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks (SpamHaus representative) states that SpamHaus rules are updated daily and initially reported no spike in false positives, offering to assist with ticket numbers. Later, they provide an update confirming a database issue caused increased CSS listings, stating all affected listings were cleared during the outage timeframe. They also acknowledge and are investigating delays in confirmation emails, advising the status page for resolution updates.
24 Oct 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that Spamhaus CSS is designed to list IP addresses involved in "snowshoe spamming," where spammers use many different IP addresses to send small volumes of spam and evade detection. She clarifies that CSS listings are dynamic and typically removed automatically once the underlying spamming activity ceases, meaning the primary troubleshooting step is to stop sending spam.
22 Jul 2022 - Word to the Wise
5 technical articles
The Spamhaus CSS list targets IP addresses, often dynamic or residential, associated with 'snowshoe spam' or compromised devices sending unsolicited mail. These listings are frequently temporary, with automatic expiration possible within 24 hours if the spamming activity ceases or the IP changes. While a self-service delisting tool is available, the paramount step for any sender is to thoroughly investigate and eliminate the source of outgoing spam before requesting removal, as failure to do so will result in immediate re-listing. For issues with receiving delisting confirmation emails, checking spam and junk folders, verifying the submitted email address, and ensuring your own mail server isn't blocking Spamhaus communications are vital steps. Notably, Spamhaus CSS delisting primarily relies on the cessation of the spamming activity itself, rather than requiring specific 'proof' of cleanup, as their systems detect the absence of problematic traffic.
Technical article
Documentation from Spamhaus Project explains that the CSS (Composite Snowshoe) list targets compromised devices or networks and dynamic, residential IP addresses that are being used to send spam. Listing means the IP is associated with known or suspected 'snowshoe spam' operations, which involve distributing spam across a large range of IP addresses to evade detection.
8 Nov 2021 - Spamhaus
Technical article
Documentation from Spamhaus Project clarifies that CSS listings are often for dynamic IP addresses and, if the spamming activity ceases or the IP address changes, the listing may expire automatically within 24 hours. For persistent issues, they offer a self-service delisting tool on their website, urging users to ensure no spamming activity is originating from the IP before requesting removal.
17 Oct 2023 - Spamhaus
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