Delisting
Getting an IP address or domain removed from a blocklist, either by waiting for the listing to expire or by requesting removal once the cause is fixed.
What it means
RFC 6471 sets out what good DNSBL operators do: publish listing and delisting criteria, make listings temporary, offer a direct, non-public way to request removal, respond promptly and use similar criteria for listing and delisting.
Practices differ by list. SpamCop's list is time-based, so listings expire automatically once reports stop. Spamhaus starts removals from its IP and Domain Reputation Checker, and its CSS FAQ notes that a current listing means the problem is recent. Barracuda takes removal requests through a form on BarracudaCentral.org. URIBL requires an account to submit delisting requests.
A removal without a fix rarely lasts: the same traffic produces the same listing. Find the cause (a compromised account, a bad list segment, an open form) before asking, and say what you changed.
Related terms
On this site
Sources
What this definition rests on. The wording is ours; the facts are theirs.
- RFC 6471: Overview of best email DNSBL operational practicesrfc-editor.org
- SpamCop Blocking Listspamcop.net
- Spamhaus FAQ: Domain Blocklistspamhaus.org
- Spamhaus FAQ: Combined Spam Sources (CSS)spamhaus.org
- BarracudaCentral.orgbarracudacentral.org
- URIBL: Abouturibl.com
All 432 terms in the glossaryThe wiki: blocklists and bounce codes