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Re: [Asrg] 7. Best Practices - DNSBLs - Article

2003-08-12 12:55:38
Brad Knowles wrote:

Indeed, but we need better investigative tools. Tools that can give us a more authoritative view on whether or not a particular black list actually adheres to the rules they espouse, or if maybe they are revenge-based, or whatever. Tools that tell us if certain black lists import data wholesale from other sources, without checking that first.

Given the variety of ways that DNSBLs are built, there's really no tools that can do it. Nor is it necessary.

A properly built filtering system will tell you right away if something is awry. For example, our filtering system rejects (not bounces) back to the sender. The sender can contact our false positive handling process, and we can investigate.

We know _exactly_ how each of the DNSBLs we're using work - their effectiveness ratings, FP ratings, because we see and measure all of it.

I'm not proposing any solutions per se, but it would be nice if we could have some sort of a rating system that we could apply to various aspects of all black lists, and on which trusted members of the community could then vote.

There are a number of "ratings" services already that can be help with the initial choice. There's no excuse, however, in operating any meaningful size filtering system without being able to determine the pros and cons on your own. Caveat emptor.

I should also point out that each site will have its own requirements. Forcing some sort of "ratings" system on them will disenfranchise someone. If the site wants to use a blacklist that blocks 200/8, they should be able to.

[We have a DNSBL BCP which I should publish soon.]


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