SORBS sold for $451K

E-mail blacklisting is controversial, and one of the msot controversial blacklist providers is SORBS - the Spam and Open Relay Blocking System - who aggressively backlist shared IP addresses and try to fine ISPs for having IP Addresses removed from their lists.

Mail providers that use SORBS are often discredited as being a bit clueless, and headaches it causes for ISPs and their customers are significant.

Now they might be set to clean up their act though, with the reported sale of the technology behind the blacklist to GFI Security for USD$451,000.

In a statement GFI said:

"GFI is now actively developing plans for the future of SORBS, including SORBS 2.0 and methods to improve SORBS data and responsiveness. Having a reputation service within GFI will allow us to provide a better service to our customers and to greatly enhance our standing in the anti-spam community as well as give us opportunities to report on spam trends and analyze real-time feeds in ways we have not previously been able to. We are very excited about this acquisition and look forward to the benefits in the months and years to come. The creator of SORBS, Michelle Sullivan, has joined the company."

Hopefully the sale will result in them cleaning up their act.