The Internet is rife with assorted security threats. There are spammers, phishers, and many other cyber offenders. From companies that bombard you with unwanted marketing emails to fraudsters trying to obtain sensitive data, there are quite a few concerns for any user. Owners of websites, on the other hand, must ensure the protection of their visitors’ data.
Today, there is a comprehensive solution for all these problems. Enhance your security measures with dedicated software tools. Check cleantalk.org for anti-spam plugins and IP reporting features. These measures to counteract Internet abuse are efficient and reasonably priced. Here is an overview of such services offered today.
1. Spam FireWall
This is an addition to the Anti-Spam plugin, this firewall denies access to visitors with spam active IP addresses. This means bots have no opportunity to post their malicious comments, as they are not allowed in. Since the job is handled automatically by the tool, the load on your server and database is lighter.
2. Spam Checker for Users and Comments
This filtering option comes with the same Anti-spam plugin. Its function is to help you weed out spammers spotted on your website. They are detected and deleted automatically. This saves a lot of time and effort. Doing this manually would take ages.
3. Real-time Validation of Email Addresses
It is essential to spot users with fake email addresses, as these are often bots. Automatic spamming systems use non-existent addresses for obvious reasons. Aside from the fact that they do not work, you may be faced with another more serious problem. When a large number of messages for a marketing campaign are directed to fake email addresses, your own IP could land on mail server blacklists.
4. Filtering Disposable & Temporary Emails
This is another measure to prevent spam on your website. It will also weed out trolls that use temporary or disposable addresses.
5. Automatic Update for WordPress
Updating a plugin is easy and requires a single click. Whether it is one or several websites you protect, they may also receive updates automatically. The longer your list of sites – the more time and effort are saved.
6. Notifications About New Comments
Designate groups of users that will be notified of newly approved comments by email. It is possible to select multiple roles from the list. For instance, these could be an editor, author, contributor, or moderator.
7. Auto-payment
This option will extend your anti-spam subscription, so you do not need to worry about discontinued protection.
8. No More Comments with Links
This type of comment is typically left by bots or dishonest users. There is no need to scan all the comments manually, which is often impossible. Let the system detect links and get rid of them.
9. White Label Hosting
You can easily rename the plugin if necessary. This will eliminate all mentions of the provider in your back-end and web interface. The site code will have zero traces of the activity.
IP Address Blacklists: How They Help
Blocking by IP is another efficient way to stop spamming. Owners of websites have to deal with comments left by spambots, often containing malicious links. Once clicked, they steal the user’s personal data. Unauthorized collection of email addresses is practiced by cybercriminals and dishonest SEO managers. Here is how the blacklists are compiled and how they are used.
An IP address is a unique identifier of every machine connected to the Internet. For instance, all messages sent from your laptop can be identified by the recipient’s mail servers based on an IP. If the latter has been involved in cyber offenses, the system is likely to reject the email or direct it to the junk folder.
Databases of dubious senders are ever-expanding, with new entries submitted every day. The two sources of information are automatic detection systems and complaints from individual users. Eventually, the data is used by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for the purpose of enhancing filtering and weeding out spammers.
The Core Principle
IPs and domains known for excessive mailing are monitored by Mail Abuse Prevention Systems and other control entities. This helps ISPs counteract spammers. Here is how the system works.
Once you hit the ‘send’ button for an email, your IP address is logged and communicated to mail servers on the recipient’s end. This is done to verify the sender. At the same time, the servers reach out to existing blacklists to determine whether you have any history of sending unwanted correspondence. These blacklists are huge. Take, for example, the CleanTalk database with over 4.5 million IPs, 12.5 million emails, and roughly 1.5 million sites.
In the case of a match, the message lands in the junk regardless of its actual content. What’s worse, if the IP/domain has a record of repetitive violations, the email is rejected completely.
Common Causes for Complaints
IPs are blacklisted for one of two reasons. First, auto-detection may classify it as spam. This often happens due to spamming software or open relay servers. Secondly, users report separate IPs and domains to specialized websites. They may be frustrated by the following:
- They do not remember signing up.
- They cannot find the link for unsubscribing.
- They receive too many messages.
- The content does not meet their expectations.
Inactive email addresses are sometimes turned into “spam traps”. Therefore, if you fail to keep your contact list clean and updated, you could end up sending messages to non-existent addresses. This, in turn, could cause the system to view you as a spammer.
The Bigger Picture
With every new entry in the database, the general efficiency of anti-spam tools and measures increases. Hence, do not hesitate to report a suspicious IP, which is quite simple. Just head to the dedicated website and submit the information. This includes the email address or domain and type of attack. Include comments if necessary.
Websites’ owners should check their own IPs before launching any mail campaigns. This is just as easy. Make sure your messages are read rather than sent into junk oblivion.
