Tor nodes blocked by e-gold

[Mike Cardwell]

Sorbs have *many* different lists. They do not just list sources of spam,
and nor do they claim to. See http://www.au.sorbs.net/using.shtml

If someone ignorantly decides to start blocking mail or http requests
based on an IP being listed on the aggregate of all sorbs zones, ie
dnsbl.sorbs.net then it is they who are at fault, not Sorbs. Sorbs does
not tell you what to do with their lists.

Examples:

http.dnsbl.sorbs.net  - List of Open HTTP Proxy Servers.
socks.dnsbl.sorbs.net - List of Open SOCKS Proxy Servers.
misc.dnsbl.sorbs.net  - List of open Proxy Servers not
                        listed in the SOCKS or HTTP lists.

So... If you're listed in http.dnsbl.sorbs.net, sorbs are saying,
"Last time we checked. There's an open HTTP proxy at IP x. Do
what you want with this free information". What they're *not*
saying is "Block IP x or you'll get hacked and spammed!!!"

So there are three main possibilities as far as E-Golds actions go as far
as I can see.

1.) They're ignorantly blocking Tor users without realising.
2.) They're blocking them on purpose because the collatoral damage is
    worth it to protect their other customers.
3.) They're ignorantly blocking Tor users without realising, but if they
    knew about Tor they'd do it on purpose anyway to protect their service
    and customers.

Sorbs are not doing anything evil, or scamming anyone. They are publicly
expressing their opinion and observations of behaviour from IP
addresses, and letting people do what they want to with that
information.

The only solution to this problem is to contact E-Gold and try to get
them to whitelist TOR exit nodes, perhaps using
ip-port.torhosts.nighteffect.us. They might say yes, they might so no,
or they might ignore you. You're free to take your business elsewhere of
course.

Mike

* on the Fri, Apr 27, 2007 at 04:17:29PM +0300, M wrote:

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> 
> Yeah, SORBS suck a big time.
> 
> My Tor exit-node was a couple of years ago listed in SORBS db. Once I
> changed Tor servers ip to another and closed ports that are commonly
> used to connect to irc servers I got off the list and havent gotten
> relisted since.
> 
> What irc has to do with email / smtp? Some ISP's block all incoming mail
> if smtp server is listed in SORBS. I have contacted couple of finnish
> ISP's and they all we're very uncooperative.
> 
> M
> 
> 
> 
> > No, its just SORBS, thay havnt got a clue. Avoid with long bargepole....
> >  
> >  
> > Tony.
> > 
> > ________________________________
> > 
> > From: owner-or-talk at freehaven.net on behalf of Karsten N.
> > Sent: Fri 27/04/2007 09:03
> > To: or-talk at freehaven.net
> > Subject: Re: Tor nodes blocked by e-gold
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Hi,
> > 
> > I have checked a few long-runnig TOR nodes in the Sorbs SPAM blacklist:
> > 
> > http://www.au.sorbs.net/lookup.shtml
> > 
> > Many of this servers are blacklisted in the database of
> > vulnerable/hacked servers:
> > 
> > "Likely Trojaned Machine, host running unknown trojan"
> > 
> > The nodes I checked are mostly well administrated and run actually
> > software over a time of 1 year. It may be, they are listed in other SPAM
> > blacklists too.
> > 
> > Karsten N.
> > 
> > force44 at Safe-mail.net schrieb:
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> Since 24 hours, e-gold has decided to block all TOR nodes, and not only. In fact they check 3 "spam databases" and if the user's IP is in one of them, e-gold just declines any operation, people cannot even login into their accounts.
> >>
> >> There are a few things here:
> >>
> >> It is the first time I see a website blocking IP that appear in SPAM databases! Spam is, as far as I know, an EMAIL problem, so why would a domain block surfing from these IP?
> >>
> >> About TOR particularly, I feel very strange that all exit nodes would be listed in spam databases, as most of them (if not all) don't accept sending mail requests. That is why I rather believe that e-gold in fact fetches the TOR exit nodes list, and directly block their IP addresses.
> >>
> >> A friend, connecting from his home in Germany without TOR, without any proxy, cannot enter his account as his IP address (a dynamic one from a dialup provider) was listed 2 months ago for spam!!!
> >>
> >> A few people are already complaining that they cannot get into their accounts, and so their money seems to be lost! E-gold was already known to block accounts without any warning and explanations, recently blocked accounts of all Iranian people and KEPT their funds, now they automatize the scam process!
> >>
> >> E-gold seems to be the next (or TODAY'S) major scam of the internet!
> >>
> >> F44
> >>
> > 
> > 
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