[unisog] Blacklisted by Hotmail

[Dr. Neal Krawetz]

On Mon Feb 11 20:52:14 2008, Tim Lane wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> Has anyone experienced being blacklisted by Hotmail?  In order to remove our
> current "blacklisting" we have been advised by Hotmail that we need to
> subscribe to their outsourced 'Sender Score Certified Program', however
> actually talking with anyone at Hotmail about the issue and its resolution
> is proving extremely challenging.
> 
> If anyone has had any experience with dealing with Hotmail on this level any
> advice/recommendations would be appreciated as this is now severely
> impacting our core business as many students have their email forwarded to
> Hotmail, and we are therefore unable to send an email to them.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Tim

Hi Tim,

I can't say that I have personally experienced this problem.
However, a quick google search shows that you are definitely not alone.

A few thoughts:

1. Have you called Microsoft?
 Administrative Contact:
    Administrator, Domain  domains at microsoft.com
    One Microsoft Way
    Redmond, WA 98052
    US
    +1.4258828080
  Tell them that you are a university and they have blacklisted you.
  The blacklist is directly impacting students' educations.
  Microsoft claims to be pro-education.  See if they can clear this up
  quickly.  If not, call reporters!
  Hotmail blacklists a university with no means for correcting the problem?
  Sounds like front-page of the Washington Post to me!

2. I found one forum that seems to be useful:
   http://forums.rimuhosting.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1043
   They suggest relaying email through gmail (LOL!).
   Another (likely better) suggestion is to implement domain keys.

3. I found a bunch of articles about Hotmail using SPEWS and other RBLs.
   (The articles were from 1999 to 2004 -- does SPEWS even exist anymore?)
   Have you checked if you are listed in any RBL list?

   I checked and neither SpamHaus nor SURBL know about you.

    203.2.32.110
    * RBL: bl.spamcop.net: not listed
    * RBL: combined-hib.dnsiplists.completewhois.com: not listed
    * RBL: dnsbl.njabl.org: not listed
    * RBL: dnsbl.sorbs.net: not listed
    * RBL: ipwhois.rfc-ignorant.org: not listed
    * RBL: list.dsbl.org: not listed
    * RBL: opm.blitzed.org: not listed
    * RBL: sbl-xbl.spamhaus.org: not listed
    * URIBL: multi.surbl.org: not listed [ report ]
    * URIBL: multi.uribl.com: not listed [ report ] 

    scu.edu.au is 203.2.32.162 [  rbl lookup  ]
    * URIBL: multi.surbl.org: not listed [ report ]
    * URIBL: multi.uribl.com: not listed [ report ] 

   I wonder what blacklist Hotmail uses today...

					-Neal
--
Neal Krawetz, Ph.D.
Hacker Factor Solutions
http://www.hackerfactor.com/
Author of "Introduction to Network Security" (Charles River Media, 2006)
and "Hacking Ubuntu" (Wiley, 2007)