The MSBL: Implementing the EBL

Implemeting the EBL

Before you configure your mailserver or spam filtering system to use the EBL, read the Purpose and Design pages, or download and read the EBL Blocklist information leaflet. These will provide details about the EBL that you will need to know before you set it up and use it.

Implementing the EBL on most mailservers requires an extension to existing MTA software or a filter. The following tools currently provide EBL support:

SpamAssassin. (Website: http://spamassassin.apache.org) As of version 3.4.2, SpamAssassin supports HASHBLs through the Mail::SpamAssassin::Plugin::HashBL plugin. To enable the EBL, simply enable this plugin in your SpamAssassin configuration by including these parameters:

loadplugin Mail::SpamAssassin::Plugin::HashBL
header HASHBL_EMAIL eval:check_hashbl_emails('ebl.msbl.org')
describe HASHBL_EMAIL Message contains email address found on EBL
priority HASHBL_EMAIL -100 # required priority to launch async lookups early
tflags HASHBL_EMAIL net
rSpamD. (Website: https://rspamd.com/) The rSpamD filter has supported the EBL and other HASHBLs since version 1.5. The program can be downloaded here. Consult the rSpamD documentation for installation and configuration instructions.
Sendmail/Postfix Milter for HASHBLs. A milter for Sendmail and Postfix that queries the EBL is available. The program can be downloaded here. Installation should be straightforward for those who are familiar with milters. Bug fixes and comments can be sent to the owner of the repository, Joshua Peabody.
EXIM configuration to query HASHBLs. Detailed configuration instructions are available for configuring EXIM to do lookups of header and message body email addresses. These instructions can be obtained on Github. The insturctions were written by Lena, the administrator of a beta 1 test site.
HASHBL for Procmail. A standalone Procmail filter to query the EBL is available. The program can be downloaded here. For installation and configuration assistance, contact the program's author, Catherine Jefferson, at ariel (at) spambouncer (dot) org.

If you use Linux, you might also find Catherine Jefferson's dnslcheck.sh script useful. It takes an IP address, a domain, or an email address, and queries the specified blocklist or all blocklists. After you unpack and install it, type dnslckeck.sh noemail@example.com to test the EBL. Type dnslckeck.sh help for use information, and dnslckeck.sh list for a list of supported blocklists.

Although the EBL is now in production, he EBL team welcomes contributors and user reviews, and continues to support tools development. For more information, contact the MSBL contributors team.

About the Email Blocklist