APEWS: What It Is and How to Remove Your IP from the Block List

Summary

Background

Most spam advisory and blocking systems work after the fact. There is a time lag between the spammer setting up shop, spamming millions, and getting netblocks listed by these systems. APEWS identifies known spammers and spam operations, listing them as soon as they start, sometimes even before they start spamming.

Listing criteria

APEWS also found that several of the several popular spam advisory and blocking systems have become bogged down due to an overload of requests, this lessens their effectiveness. APEWS does not run a request or nomination based list, entries in the list come from the knowledge and experience of the people who set up and use the APEWS lists.

Zones

l1.apews.org

Level 1 lists domains only. Domains owned by spammers or spam supporters and also by cart00neys trying to sue blocklist operators will get listed. We don’t even try and educate these types as any past attempts at education have failed. If a known spammer buys a new domain but hasn’t started spamming from it yet, it is still eligible to be listed here. blocking a domain whose owners use human shields will result in collateral damage, which some users might not want. Also note that Use of L1 might reject messages that use of L2 does not; maximum blocking requires the use of both. This is a significant difference from SPEWS, where the relationship was hierarchical.

l2.apews.org

Level 2 lists IP addresses and netblocks of known spammers, anyone who is spam-friendly, or more worse supporting spammers. Listing starts at single IP’s and can escalate up till the entire netrange of a spammer or spam supporter is listed. The Level 2 list will have some inadvertent blocking (non-spammer IP addresses included in listed blocks), but can still be used by small ISPs or individuals who want a stricter level of blocking/filtering. By having a two style list, you can make the hardcore spam fighters happy; those who want to block first and ask questions later. Also, a listing in the Level 2 list may exert a bit of pressure on spam friendly sites and may keep them from turning totally bad – but that is not really the point, stopping spam is.

Removal Process

APEWS is just an automated system. If spam or spam involvement (hosting spammers, selling spamware) from your IP address/range ceases, it will drop out of the list in time. Normally the listing involves spam related problems with your host and the first step you need to take is to complain to them about the listing. In almost all cases, they are the only people who can get an address/range out of the APEWS list. If there is a spam-related problem with your host, their IP address/range will not be removed until it is resolved. If your host or network is certain a listing mistake has been made, ask them to read this FAQ. Do not post messages yourself about apparent errors in the listing of your provider.

The network owner (and no one else) can then post a message in a public forum mentioned above with the APEWS record number (eg. E=211497) and/or the IP address/range/domain information in it. Placing the text “APEWS:” in the subject can help a APEWS editor or developer see the message and they may double check the listing – note that, although others may, no APEWS editor or developer will ever reply to the posting. Will this get your IP address/range removed from a APEWS listing? Again, not if there are currently spam related problems with your host.

Whatismyipaddress.com does not recommend the usage of this blacklist. It has the potential to block large segments of IP addresses. If you are listed with them it is generally not a problem.

Related Articles

• General blacklist removal instructions
• Check to see if an IP is blacklisted
• How do I report spam?
• What is a DNSBL (blacklist)?
• Ask for help to diagnose and resolve listing issues