Barracuda

[HN-Matt]

Anyone here ever run into problems with Barracuda Central?

I've been trying to get an IP delisted since May 20th and they 'simply' don't respond. To my knowledge the IP is not a source of spam and hasn't been listed on any other blacklist in existence (except for Invaluement, briefly, who responded within a couple hours to have it removed). I've asked them to please explain why the IP was added and to point me in the right direction, but nothing.

This isn't the first time I've noticed IPs being spuriously listed on Barracuda (i.e. not listed anywhere else at all) so I'm starting to wonder if it's more than simple negligence/obliviousness on their part. Is it a known, widespread problem with this 'RBL'?

More: http://scott.yang.id.au/2012/12/emailreg-org-barracudacentrals-protection-racket.html

 

[tonyg]

The only success I had was calling them on the phone.

The lady that took my call was very helpfull and had the IP removed from the list right away.

 

[HN-Matt]

Forgot to add it was on a Microsoft block list too and removed within 4 hours of me emailing them.
 

Hello,

Thank you for contacting Microsoft Online Services Technical Support.
This email is in reference to ticket number xxxxxxxxxx, which was
opened in regards to your delisting request for xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

The IP address you submitted has been reviewed and removed from our
block lists. Please note that there may be a 1-2 hour delay before
this change propagates through our entire system.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. [...]

So,

Invaluement: ~3 hours
Microsoft: ~4 hours
Barracuda: ~2 weeks and counting

Bringing it up because multiple clients have been complaining about their email being disrupted. As far as I can tell, the best solution seems to be for people to stop using Barracuda.

 

[Onra Host]

I've only used the online forum a few times, but it worked from email and took around 48 - 72 hours. Though to be honest that was a while ago. 

 

[DomainBop]

 As far as I can tell, the best solution seems to be for people to stop using Barracuda.

/etc/postfix,main.cf:

smtpd_recipient_restrictions = ... reject_rbl_client zen.spamhaus.org, reject_rbl_client bl.spamcop.net, reject_rbl_client b.barracudacentral.org,...

Barracuda has caught the highest percentage of SPAM and given the fewest false positives of the three blacklists I use (and if you do a search you'll find others who have had the same experience),  so "stop using Barracuda" isn't really "the best solution" for many of us.

To my knowledge the IP is not a source of spam...

ways to get a poor reputation and be blacklisted without sending SPAM : backscatter, IP with poor reputation previously used by spammers, rDNS/PTR/other mx DNS record errors/problems, failure to follow all CANSPAM guidelines (and this includes all of the CANSPAM rules like optin, proper marking of email as an advertisement, including contact info on advertising emails), and with barracuda's filtering email content that appears "spammy" can sometimes get you blocked.

edit...from SenderBase for your MX IP record:

Network Owner OVH Hosting

OVH IP addresses have a poor reputation with many blacklists and some blacklists will automatically block any shared hosting / multi-user email server  with an OVH IP.

 

[HN-Matt]

[...]


so "stop using Barracuda" isn't really "the best solution" for many of us.

Maybe not for many of you. I think the rest of us prefer organizations that don't take two weeks to respond after listing IPs that don't send any SPAM to begin with.

ways to get a poor reputation and be blacklisted without sending SPAM :

Amusingly enough, the appearance in Barracuda only occurred shortly after I moved from Quadranet to OVH. There was never a single listing during my entire time at the former with the same clients, not once. And there have been no new shared clients since the move. Fancy that, then, a sudden spurious listing after a certain event!

...some blacklists will automatically block any shared hosting / multi-user email server  with an OVH IP.

& that tactic wouldn't be completely ridiculous / not respectable at all?

 

[mitgib]

/etc/postfix,main.cf:

Barracuda has caught the highest percentage of SPAM and given the fewest false positives of the three blacklists I use (and if you do a search you'll find others who have had the same experience),  so "stop using Barracuda" isn't really "the best solution" for many of us.

I have to agree barracuda central is by far the best list, but spamcop has the highest false positives, so hi I refuse to use their RBL. Just try having shared hosting and people that use facebook and watch the hate come your way.

I put up a spam appliance (http://efa-project.org) a few months ago when I finally had enough of the spam, and since cPanel at the time still hadn't implemented greylisting, that made the biggest improvement of all. I now have a cPanel/WHM 11.50 box on CentOS 7 with greylisting enabled, but I still think that opensource spam appliance still does a better job.

 

[HN-Matt]

Hell, I had forgotten until now, but OVH has a built in mechanism that automatically blocks port 25 when spam is detected! Unsurprisingly, the IP in question has never triggered it.

Hi there Barracuda!

 

[HN-Matt]

ways to get a poor reputation and be blacklisted without sending SPAM : backscatter, IP with poor reputation previously used by spammers

I have to agree barracuda central is by far the best list

Okay, but even if they're 'by far the best' and/or if it's due to an 'IP with poor reputation previously used by spammers', that's sorta beside the point today, two weeks later.

The problem isn't necessarily their overall accuracy rate, but the total non-response (although the latter is certainly diminishing the former right now).

 

[TheLinuxBug]

You need to call them like @tonyg said.  

It is possible if you are using IP which you do not directly own or are rented from the DC in some cases they will not deal directly with you, especially if the network houses a lot of offenders, they will want to deal with the owner of the ip addresses. They should let you know this if you call. I have had good success with just calling them and filing a ticket, someone usually responds with-in an hour and takes care of your issue.  I think they just want to know they are dealing with a real person and have an phone contact in case they find you being purposely abusive to their system.

Cheers!

 

[HN-Matt]

@TheLinuxBug seems a bit silly all things considered, but guess I'll give 'em a ring tomorrow, then.
 
In the interim, I thought this was pretty funny: http://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/1cxvqi/more_barracuda_ess_issues_entire_subnet_of/
 

More Barracuda ESS Issues - Entire Subnet of Barracuda outgoing servers blacklisted on UCE

Is anyone else having problems with this?
[...]
I wouldn't mind but we rang Barracuda support who told us that they won't get themselves removed from the Blacklist and the fix for this is for us to tell our client, to tell THEIR client to remove UCE from their blacklists which is patently ridiculous.
I'm starting to lose faith in Barracuda, they've started off well but this service is meant to save us hassle not cause it.

[...]

I don't disagree with you - a good deal of them are more or less rackets for money, it's ridiculous.

[...]

except that barracuda customers have unwittingly been extorting mail admins for years now..

[...]

"Oh, all barracudas are blocking you because you landed on the BBL but no other list? Have you tried this $20 whitelisting service? No, no one uses it but barracuda. Why do you ask?'

 

[HN-Matt]

 

[HalfEatenPie]

This exists.

Wow.  Well...  I guess I've seen everything.  

For thanksgiving I remember my roommates and I put on a youtube video of a fireplace (another 10 hours long, every once in a while the fire poker will come in or someone will put in a new log of wood) and ate thanksgiving dinner around our TV.  Haha.  

 

[HN-Matt]

Anyone know of hosted calendar software that allows you to mark an "X" on the days as they pass uneventfully?

 

[joepie91]

Anyone know of hosted calendar software that allows you to mark an "X" on the days as they pass uneventfully?

Post-its

 

[HN-Matt]

Those ain't hosted, sir.

I already have my analog kitten calendar X'd to the brim, need something digital!

 

[HN-Matt]

Number of Blacklist Monitors 1

New Listings Since Last Report 0

Email Frequency weekly

All Blacklist Monitors:

MxWatch is currently configured to monitor the following servers for Blacklist Activity.

IP MxRep Name Current Status

123.456.789.69 Learn More Blacklist On BARRACUDA

 

[TheLinuxBug]

@HN-Matt DId this ever end up working out for you?

Cheers!

 

[HN-Matt]

@TheLinuxBug dunno, I'm still waiting... which is why I asked for the calendar software!  I've chosen not to call them for the time being since their position seems completely groundless to me. I really don't owe them a call at all. The ball is clearly in has fallen through the ground of their court!

I mean, come on, we're approaching three weeks without any response and without appearing on any other blacklist!

That would be absolutely unacceptable for any organization with pretensions to 'fighting SPAM' imo, no matter who they're choosing to ignore (hell, one week was already absurd). At the very least, respond with a claim as to why you've listed the IP(s). It may be that they have a 'valid reason' or whatever, but to ignore someone for almost a month without rhyme or reason?

 

[HN-Matt]

22 days without response.