This is the third article in a multi-part introductory series on blacklists and blacklist activity.

The simple answer is don’t spam, or send malware or viruses and you won’t get on a blacklist!  Unfortunately, this is not as simple as it sounds.   As applications and operating systems get more powerful and complex, they open more possibilities for exploitation.  Spammers and hackers are finding new ways everyday to exploit these systems.  Your system administrators keep up with patches, but, often what fails isn’t the configuration, patch or security, it’s human nature.  All it takes is an errant click on the wrong link or downloading something from the wrong site and your systems can be infected with malware.

The best way to prevent blacklisting is to limit the risk of a malware infection through comprehensive email filtering and monitoring.  Now that botnets are also problematic, we also recommend security software that filters website URLs and DNS to offer additional protection.

Regardless of the software you choose, implementing a comprehensive email security solution is necessary to prevent blacklisting and ensure email deliverability.  Contact us for more information.

In the next installment of our series on Blacklists, I will discuss the steps you need to take to get off of blacklists.