Why is my domain listed on Spamhaus DBL even when not sending emails?

Email marketer from EmailGeeksForum explains a listing can be associated with the domain's historical data and that domain reputation is not built or destroyed overnight; it takes time.

Marketer from Email Geeks confirms the domain was used for a HELO domain until April 5th and the MTA IP is also listed by Spamhaus due to the domain.

Email marketer from StackOverflow explains that the domain might be listed because its reputation has been negatively impacted. Even if you're not actively sending emails, previous bad practices or association with spammy content could lead to a DBL listing.

Email marketer from Webmaster Forum suggests that your website might be compromised and being used to host spam content without your knowledge. This could lead to the domain being listed, even if you're not sending emails yourself.

Email marketer from SuperUser explains that checking URLs can affect listing. They advise to run a URL scan check to ensure that they do not contain malware or any code.

Email marketer from Quora highlights the use of URL redirection services as a common reason. If your domain is used within these services that engage in spam or are associated with malicious activity, this can result in listing.

Email marketer from DigitalPoint suggests that the issue might stem from the reputation of the shared hosting server's IP address. If other users on the same server are sending spam, it could negatively affect your domain's listing.

Email marketer from Reddit explains that past email marketing practices could be impacting current deliverability. Even if you are not currently sending, if past campaigns were flagged for spam it can still affect domain reputation.

Email marketer from Domain Forum suggests that if the domain is parked, the parking service may be displaying malicious advertising or content, leading to the listing. Check who is hosting the domain.

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that you should check the URLs used in email campaigns and on your website, as these could be present in spam even if you're not actively sending emails. Even URLs to resources on your domain can be enough for listing.

Expert from Email Geeks asks if the domain hosts links or images used in external emails, suggesting a bad actor might be using the domain in their mail.

Expert from Email Geeks states that if the domain is being forged in the EHLO, an SPF record may help and make it clear this is not an authorized use of the domain for the EHLO, which is recommended by spamhaus to address the current EHLO forgery problem and make sure they catch the forgers and not the legit users of the domain.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that DBL listings expire a few days after the last detection, indicating the domain is currently being used in email.

Expert from Spam Resource explains some common reasons why domains get listed, and even if the domain owner is not sending email, the domain can be listed due to redirects, links and other content on the domain being present in email.

Expert from Email Geeks confirms, elaborating on a question from Vytis Marciulionis, that a domain doesn't necessarily need to send emails to be listed on Spamhaus DBL; usage in content is sufficient, particularly to block content from many IPs.

Expert from Email Geeks explains it is neccessary to resolve an IP and DBL listing at the same time, which is confirmed by Yves-Marie LE PORS-CHAUVEL who adds that the IP listing will be resolved as soon as DBL will be and the MTA IP will be automatically listed if you use a domain in DBL for any MTA.

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that Content Security Policies (CSP) and Subresource Integrity (SRI) can mitigate content injection problems, but they require effort to configure and update, making them difficult for many to maintain. Injected code can often lead to issues with the DBL

Documentation from Cisco.com explains that SenderBase is the world's largest email and web traffic monitoring network. It tracks a domain's sending habits, so even infrequent past spam activity may impact reputation.

Documentation from MultiRBL.valli.org shares multiple reasons for listing. These can include domain hijacking, URL shortening services (using your domain), SEO poisoning, and malware distribution.

Documentation from URIBL.com shares that a domain can be passively listed if it is found on a page that is sending spam. If your domain is referenced on another website, and that website is sending spam, that could cause issues.

Documentation from Spamhaus.org explains that the DBL (Domain Block List) lists domains found in spam, regardless of whether the domain itself is actively sending emails. The domain may be listed if it's used in spam content, such as in URLs or as part of a spamvertised website.

Documentation from Proofpoint.com shares that to identify domain abuse, check your website for unauthorized content, monitor your domain's reputation with tools like Google Search Console, and review your DNS records to ensure they haven't been tampered with.