Tag Archives: rbltracker

Python SDK for the RBLTracker REST API

Originally Posted on RBLTracker.

We’re extremely excited to announce the release of the office RBLTracker Python SDK. Developers can us this simple wrapper library to integrate all the features of the RBLTracker API into their existing processes.

Installation

The Python SDK can be installed via the Python package manager:

pip install rbltracker

Or if you prefer, you can clone the source code from the official GitHub repository.

API Access Token

To authenticate API requests, you must use the Account SID and Access Token, available from the Account -> API Access section of the RBLTracker Portal.

Example Usage

Using the Python SDK only requires a few lines of code. In this example, we’ll request a list of hosts from our account:

import rbltracker

try:
 client = rbltracker.Client('Your Account SID', 'Your Auth Token')

data = client.hosts.get();

except rbltracker.RBLTrackerException as err:
 print(err)

In this example, we’ll start a manual check process, using the real-time check features of the RBLTracker API:

import rbltracker

try:
 client = rbltracker.Client('Your Account SID', 'Your Auth Token')

data = client.check.start({

"host": "10.10.10.11",
 "callback": "https://your.website.com/callback.php",
 "details": 1
 });

except rbltracker.RBLTrackerException as err:
 print(err)

See our API Reference for a complete list of all the Python SDK features.

RBLTracker – Updated Two-Factor Authentication

Originally posted on Updated Two-Factor Authentication with RBLTracker

Your account security is extremely important to us here at RBLTracker. Since our initial inception, we’ve supported two-factor authentication using the Clef application, which provided an easy-to-use two-factor authentication, and single sign-on application.

With the recent news that Clef will be shutting down its services in early June (you can read all about it on the Clef blog), we’ve opted to remove support for it early, and implement an alternative two-factor authentication option using TOTP (Time-Based One-Time Passwords), a standard that won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

TOTP uses an algorithm to compute a one-time password, based on a shared secret and the current time. One benefit of TOTP, is that the 6-digit authentication token that is generated automatically rolls over with time, which dramatically reduces the susceptibility to phishing schemes.

There are many freely available TOTP clients, but RBLTracker recommends the Google Authenticator application, available for free, for Android, iOS, and Blackberry devices. You can learn more about it here:

https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/1066447?visit_id=1-636261663713116260-4136591499&hl=en&rd=1

Two-factor authentication is available today, and can optionally be enabled on any account on the RBLTracker system. For a complete tutorial on setting up two-factor authentication, see the Setting up Two-Factor Authentication guide.

RBLTracker: Facebook Threat Exchange, New Website, and More!

After more than six month of design and development, we’ve launched a brand new version of the RBLTracker Blacklist Monitoring service and website. This release includes some long sought-after features, including a completely redesigned management portal, support for the Facebook Threat Exchange, and much much more.

New Management Portal

With a completely redesigned web portal, customers can easily manage all aspects of their RBLTracker account.

interface

Some key new features include:

  • Improved reporting and graphing features.
  • Additional payment options, including credit card payments, and auto-recharging account balances.
  • Easier management of accounts with large number of hosts.
  • Support for sub-accounts to split up account management roles for billing, development, and for read-only access users.
  • Support for contact groups by host, which allows custom alerting options by host.

Facebook Threat Exchange

threat_exchange_logosSupport for the new Facebook Threat Exchange service is now part of the standard RBLTracker monitoring process.

Facebook Threat Exchange is a shared network of malware and phishing attack targets, shared by a collaborative of social media and SaaS organizations, including Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, Dropbox, and Yahoo.

RBLTracker monitors your host IP addresses and domains, against data collected from sources like Facebook posts, Dropbox files, and Pinterest pins. If your domain or IP address was used to try and spread malware or viruses on any of the supported platforms, you’ll receive alerts from RBLTracker.

How Do RBLs Affect Me? (Part 3)

sbOriginally posted on RBLTracker

In Part 1 and Part 2 of our series, I talked about what RBLs are, how they work, and how RBLs are used by administrators to control the day-to-day onslaught of SPAM on their email systems. In this article I’m going to talk about how RBLs affect you, your business, and why you should care.

So Why Do I Care?

Getting listed on an RBL or URIBL is not uncommon- it happens.

  • Maybe you have a customer using your email platform that didn’t quite understand the rules against bulk email.
  • Maybe one of your employees downloaded some virus infested software that started sending SPAM to all the contacts in their email client.
  • Maybe your email administrator made a mistake when configuring your email system, and opened you up as an open relay.
  • Maybe the WordPress or Drupal installation on your website was compromised, and injected with phishing code.

We all do our best to ensure that these types of errors aren’t the norm, but human error happens.

As a mail recipient, RBLs protect you from these issues by rejecting these messages before they land in your inbox. As a mail sender, RBLs protect others FROM your issues- and limit your overall liability, by reducing the number of messages delivered.

By listing compromised mail servers and website domains, and using these RBLs and URIBLs in our mail systems, we effectively limit the spread of SPAM and phishing websites, which is good for everybody.

Sounds Great- What’s the Catch?

Once you’re listed- as the name indicates- you’re “black-holed”- much of your email won’t be reaching its destination, and traffic to your websites could be limited.

If your business relies on email communication- either as a tool, or a product- then the longer you’re listed, the worst it is for your bottom line, and your reputation. It looks really bad if your customers email you, and get a bounce message indicating that your email system has been blocked.

The sooner you know there is an issue, the sooner the issue can be resolved, and the sooner you can request delisting from the RBLs in question.

RBLTracker

RBLTracker provides a fully automated RBL monitoring service, which checks your IP addresses and website domains, against a customizable list of the top DNSBLs, and will alert you immediately if your system is listed.

Don’t wait days or weeks to find out that your email hasn’t been reaching your customers- click here to find out more!

How Are Blacklists Used? (Part 2)

Originally posted on RBLTracker Blacklist Check Service blog.

In Part 1 of our series we talked about what RBLs are, and the different types of RBLs. In this article, we’ll talk more about how they can be used by administrators to control the flow of SPAM into their networks.

How Are They Used?

Most mail server software can be configured to make requests against DNSBLs, and reject or accept mail, based on if the sending mail servers IP address is listed in the DNSBL. Or in the case of URIBLs, if a domain name or website URL found in the body of the message is listed.

Example

As a quick example, the Exim mail transfer agent (MTA) supports specifying one or more DNSBLs during the ACL processing of an inbound SMTP message.

exim_rbl

Exim will make a DNS lookup request on the sending mail servers’ IP address, and if found in the DNSBL, can reject the message with a specific error message.

The Postfix MTA allows administrator to add one or more DNSBLs using the reject_rbl_client configuration option in the smtpd_recipient_restrictions option.

postfix_rbl

You can also do a simple check on Windows, Mac, and Unix, using the command line nslookup tool. Simply reverse the digits in your IP address, and prefix it to one of the DNSBL host names.

So for example, if your IP address was 127.0.0.2 and you wanted to check the bl.spamcop.net DNSBL, you would do a DNS lookup on: 2.0.0.127.bl.spamcop.net:

manual_lookup

Check back for Part 3 of our series where I talk about how RBLs affect organizations, and why they can be an important part of your day-to-day administration.