June 7, 2024 at 02:36AM
SORBS, a popular source for identifying spam servers, has been shut down by Proofpoint, its owner. The DNS-based Block List contained over 12 million known spam and phishing servers and was used by over 200,000 organizations. The service, in existence for 20 years, may be acquired, but high operational costs make it challenging.
From the meeting notes provided, it is clear that the SORBS (Spam and Open Relay Blocking System) service, a well-regarded source of information on known sources of spam, has been shut down by its owner, Proofpoint. The service provided free access to a DNS-based Block List that listed over 12 million host servers known to disseminate spam, phishing attacks, and other email threats.
It is important to note that over 200,000 organizations utilized SORBS data and the service was highly rated for its accuracy. Despite being over twenty years old, the service was terminated, prompting speculation of a possible acquisition.
The possibility of reviving SORBS has been discussed, as it appears that the service’s code base is intact and restoring the information to the “Zones” would not be difficult. It has been mentioned that the hosting and operating costs of SORBS make it infeasible for an individual to take over, leading to concerns about potential acquisition attempts by parties with nefarious intentions.
The anti-spam community is hopeful that legitimate parties will commit to operating SORBS, given its transparent operating practices and the value it provided. The notes emphasize that transparency in blocklist operations is crucial, as it impacts those who rely on email for their livelihood. The service’s documentation and support ticket system demonstrated years’ worth of record-keeping that illustrated the service’s fairness in decision-making.
Overall, the meeting notes detail the significance of SORBS, its closure, and the potential future steps including the possibility of acquisition and the importance of transparency in blocklist operations.