Blacklisted IP and no help from Verizon support

[poorktrekker]

According to http://whatismyipaddress.com/blacklist-check my IP is listed with no less than 4 blacklist entities.

My browser was recently prevented from connecting to one of my own client sites (that website's host actually alerted me to this blacklisting), which has since been working, but I have no way of knowing how many other websites might deny access to my IP--or even if my outgoing emails are being denied.

BUT THIS IS NOT AN EMAIL ISSUE. This is a blacklisting issue.

Verizon support via Twitter has been ineffective and pointless:

"Since you have a dynamic IP, we're unable to whitelist your IP at this time. ^JGG"

And Verizon phone support consists of wading through phone menus, waiting 10 minutes to get someone and then listening to them read their script as they fumble around completely and utterly ignorant of what I'm talking about. And then getting disconnected--at least 3 times.

I don't CARE if my IP is "dynamic"; OBVIOUSLY my computer/connection is being IDENTIFIED by an IP that prevented me from visiting that site (and who knows how many others) and, thus, Verizon should be able to erase that from my connection and assign a new [dynamic] one.

All I've gotten so far are excuses, technobabble and stupidity. Anything, that is, but CUSTOMER SERVICE. I pay nearly $100 a month for this **bleep**.

[somegirl]

The blacklist you are having trouble with is not maintained by Verizon, unless it is a Verizon site you are having trouble accessing.

If you want your IP removed from the blacklist, you will need to contact the webmaster for the site you are trying to access and have them update their BOGON filters.

If you want to change your IP address, leave your router unplugged overnight.

[bruteforce1]

somegirl,

sorbs is blacklisting (the third party vendor for verizon) you cannot contact them.

[poorktrekker]

> The blacklist you are having trouble with is not maintained by Verizon

No, I'm sure it's not, but I don't much care who maintains the blacklist, only that Verizon lumbered us with a blacklisted IP and then says that they have no solution for me. What the...

Anyway, thanks for the tip re unplugging the router.

[poorktrekker]

I have--what I assume is--a new IP. Verizon contacted me and said to reboot my router. I don't recognize this IP.

But it ALSO has 5 blacklist entries.

So what's going on? Am I just seeing the same blacklisting entries because they're cached/cookied/still identified with my connection?

[somegirl]

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@poorktrekker wrote:

I have--what I assume is--a new IP. Verizon contacted me and said to reboot my router. I don't recognize this IP.

But it ALSO has 5 blacklist entries.

So what's going on? Am I just seeing the same blacklisting entries because they're cached/cookied/still identified with my connection?

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Most IP addresses you receive will be "blacklisted" for sending email, because they are dynamically assigned. You aren't (I assume) looking to run a mail server from your home, just access websites. The fact that your IP is dynamically assigned shouldn't impact your ability to access websites. It should only be impacted if the specific IP you currently have is on that site's blacklist.

[funhouse69]

I am dealing with the same thing, I am trying to join a tech forum and I can't even register as they use these silly services to weed out spamers. I see that the whole entire Subnet is Black Listed so it doesn't matter if you get another IP Address. This is Verizon's responsibility to deal with unfrotunately individuals don't have a lot of power and even if you get your IP addess removed you could end up with another one a few days / weeks / months later and be in the same boat.

Does Verizon monitor / contribute to this forum? How can this be escalated within their chain of command?

[db909]

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@somegirl wrote:

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. It should only be impacted if the specific IP you currently have is on that site's blacklist.

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He said that in the initial post.

"OBVIOUSLY my computer/connection is being IDENTIFIED by an IP that prevented me from visiting that site"

[somegirl]

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@db909 wrote:

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@somegirl wrote:

. It should only be impacted if the specific IP you currently have is on that site's blacklist.

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He said that in the initial post.

"OBVIOUSLY my computer/connection is being IDENTIFIED by an IP that prevented me from visiting that site"

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 Yes, and then the OP said the got a new IP, and that was listed on some blacklist site(s), like SORBs. I was explaining why the new IP would be on an email blacklist.

[Hubrisnxs]

All of Verizon's Dynamic IP's are blacklisted from Email lists.

Somegirl speaks wisely on this issue and is correct, IP's that are blacklisted from websites, are typically a result of an out of date bogon filter, and those filters are maintained by the site hosts not Verizon.   a "work around"  is to simply get a new ip address in a range that your website's host is not blocking.    a long term fix is engaging the site host (not the webmaster) and have them update their bogon filter lists. 

The blacklisted email thing, though, if that's the issue, then you can't get around that. 

In fact, that's such a common practice that this is what a Company has to say about blacklisted IP's that are Dynamic (this company is not associated with Verizon FYI,  but it shows the industry attitude about dynamic IP's for Email blacklisting)

http://cbl.abuseat.org/dynamic.html

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  This IP address is dynamic

As we've mentioned earlier, CBL listings that interfere with legitimate email are almost ALWAYS as a result of virus-infected machines.

The difficulty with dynamic IP addresses is that you may not have had this IP address at the time the virus was infected, so there is nothing you can do to prevent a relisting. Furthermore, the next time you connect, you may well get a new IP address that's already listed.

This situation is particularly common with wireless portals.

So, here the best way to proceed is to avoid having the listing affect you, not remove the listing.

If you have a dynamic IP address, or even just a user of a large ISP, your ISP will have provided you with the name and/or IP address of a mail server you should use to send email. You should put this in your mail reader (or server in some cases) "smart host" or "outbound SMTP server" setting.

Once you do this, you shouldn't be bothered by CBL listings again, and there's no need to delist it.

Even if you could get the CBL to delist it (and we usually do when we're contacted the first time), it's not going to help much in the long run - not only will you likely run into a CBL listing again in the future, other DNSBLs (called "DUL"s) are listing _entire_ dynamic ranges, so the CBL is the least of your problems.

As one example, which we get asked many times about, the DirectWay wireless provider tells their users to set their "outbound SMTP server" to be "smtp.direcway.com". As it turns out, they don't seem to be interested in securing their wireless portal, and supply this to give their users a way around the CBL (and MANY other DNSBL) listings.

Note to ISP staff:

The CBL's users expect us to list demonstrably compromised machines. Even if they're dynamic. Do NOT ask us to permanently delist dynamic ranges or any other type of generic end-user pools, because we won't: no exceptions.

The only way you can avoid repeated CBL listings of dynamic IP addresses is to treat the network segment as a NAT'd LAN, and configure your routers to block outbound port 25 from all IP addresses in the range. See NAT information.

It's really pointless to permanently delist dynamic ranges, because "Dialup" DNSBLs (aka "DUL"s) list the whole range anyway.

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Solution for email blacklisted customers is different.  configure your machines properly using Verizon's outbound SMTP smtp.verizon.com (ssl and port 465)    you will be subject to their spam policy's with that config, or get a 3rd party SMTP to use. 

[Hubrisnxs]

Here is a good easy way to get a new IP address

Actiontec MI424-WR - RELEASE DHCP
Click on MY NETWORK icon at the top.
Select NETWORK CONNECTIONS from the menu on the left.
Select BROADBAND CONNECTION (coax or ethernet) depending on your connection to the ONT.
Click SETTINGS
Click RELEASE
Click APPLY
Disconnect the router or power it down immediately to prevent it from re-requesting a DHCP lease.

leave the connection dead for 5-10 minutes  (no less) and then turn it back on.    It "should" get a new ip address.

[poorktrekker]

Yes, Verizon had given me a new dynamic IP, which also showed up on the very same blacklists. Seems like this is a common thing, and not in a good way.

My main issue is that this interferes with my client work. However, it seems to me that the most obvious and egregeous problem here is that web/email hosts are actually using these blacklists to control access; are they not aware that giants like Verizon etc just assign these random dynamic IP ranges randomly? And that those blacklists are [most likely] inaccurate and out of date?

It's all well and good to try and be "proactive" in staunching SPAM--and the spammers--but not if that means thousands of users are potentially obstructed on spurious information.

[smith6612]

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@poorktrekker wrote:

Yes, Verizon had given me a new dynamic IP, which also showed up on the very same blacklists. Seems like this is a common thing, and not in a good way.

My main issue is that this interferes with my client work. However, it seems to me that the most obvious and egregeous problem here is that web/email hosts are actually using these blacklists to control access; are they not aware that giants like Verizon etc just assign these random dynamic IP ranges randomly? And that those blacklists are [most likely] inaccurate and out of date?

It's all well and good to try and be "proactive" in staunching SPAM--and the spammers--but not if that means thousands of users are potentially obstructed on spurious information.

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Could you list all of the specific blacklists which your IP address is being listed under? Their full policy of blocking that displays would be appreciated.

Unless you pay for a Static IP from Verizon, you are going to wind up on the following blacklists:

• PBL (Spamhaus)
• DNSBL (Sorbs)
• Zen (Spamhaus) (COMBINATION LIST OF OTHER BLACKLISTS!)
• APNews Level 2

All of these lists only demonstrate and tell other providers that your IP address should not be sending out e-mail, especially un-authenticated e-mail. This prevents machines infected with spam generating malware from spamming mailboxes. Instead, a person has to either send mail through a mail server authorized for sending mail as a specific domain, or an authenticated smarthost must be used. Open relays that behave as Smarthosts are quick to be filtered, and if you are not running an open relay out of your home you shouldn't have to worry about this. If a forum or another website is using any of these lists for blocking HTTP connectivity, they're doing something terribly wrong and their system administrator needs a smacking.

Verizon has nothing to do with these blacklists, and should take no action. If customers are abusing IP addresses, for example by creating DDoS through any means or spamming, server owners should report them to Verizon's abuse e-mail. Date, IP address, and time are important as Verizon maintains a listing of what IPs were assigned to what circuit at a specific time.

[cartographer1]

I too am faced with the same issue.   I have been told to fill out the form at:

http colon slash slash my.verizon.com slash micro slash whitelist.

And even though it only gives you 45 characters, they will reply with an e-mail from whitelist AT verizon.net.

At least then you'll have some sort of followup which won't bounce to give them additional feedback.

These are my RBLs according to: 

https colon slash slash www.whatismy.ip.com slash blacklist-check slash

McAfee RBL    cidr.bl.mcafee.com
SORBS Aggregate zone    dnsbl.sorbs.net
SORBS Aggregate zone (safe)    safe.dnsbl.sorbs.net
SORBS Dynamic IP Addresses    dul.dnsbl.sorbs.net
Spamhaus PBL Policy Block List    pbl.spamhaus.org
Spamhaus ZEN Combined Block List    zen.spamhaus.org
StopSpam.org dul    dul.pacifier.net

I agree, it ought to be easier to request to get your IP unblacklisted. 

If I had the money I'd buy my own T-3 and dedicate a static IP address to it.   But not everyone can afford that 🙂  So we must be the squeaky wheel that gets the grease and insist they do everything they can to remove the blacklist for us.  We can't just keep renewing our IP address only get another blacklisted IP.  That's absurd.   We need an IP with a solid foundation to work with.

[LawrenceC]

Hi cartographer,

Have you submitted the whitelist request?  Have you received a response?