Spamhaus Intelligence is a global threat reputation system used by security providers, ISPs, and anti-abuse platforms to assess how safe or risky a domain or IP address is.
In EmailGuard, we use this system to give you detailed insight into your domain’s reputation, helping you identify infrastructure risks, sending issues, and abuse signals that could affect deliverability.
Spamhaus scores domains using a blend of automated systems and expert input:
Signal Intelligence (SIGINT): Passive data gathered from internet traffic, domain behavior, and infrastructure patterns.
Open Source Intelligence (OSINT): Public data sources like DNS records, WHOIS details, and TLS certificates.
Machine Learning & Heuristics: Algorithms that detect anomalies in email sending patterns, malware hosting, and DNS usage.
Manual Investigations: Analyst-driven reviews for edge cases that automation alone can’t resolve.
This intelligence is sourced from:
A global network of spam traps and malware sensors
Industry data partnerships
Proprietary datasets like the DROP list (Do Not Route IPs)
Spamhaus doesn’t give a simple pass or fail. Instead, it scores your domain across five reputation dimensions and combines them into a total score:
Dimension | What it means |
Infra | Hosting & DNS reputation (e.g., shared hosting with bad neighbors) |
Identity | WHOIS transparency, DNSSEC usage, and registrar reputation |
SMTP | Email sending behavior, bounce rates, volume, and complaint patterns |
Malware | Association with malware, phishing pages, or botnet command servers |
Human | Manual reviews from Spamhaus analysts based on real-world threats |
Positive – Clean infrastructure and trustworthy usage
Zero – Neutral / no strong signals
Negative – Risky configuration or signs of abuse
EmailGuard provides specialized tools powered by Spamhaus Intelligence to give you deeper visibility:
Tool | What It Checks |
Domain Reputation | Overall score across all five dimensions |
Nameserver Reputation | Health and trust of your domain’s DNS servers |
A Record Reputation | The abuse history of the IP address your domain points to |
Domain Senders | IPs that are sending mail on behalf of your domain |
Domain Contexts | Where your domain has been seen (headers, links, web redirects, etc.) |
These tools surface threats and risks that regular DNS or inbox tools often miss.
A poor Spamhaus score can lead to serious consequences:
Email deliverability: Spam filters may block or send your emails to the junk folder
Web access: Browsers, antivirus tools, or firewalls might block your domain
Trust & reputation: Clients or partners may view your infrastructure as risky or negligent
Even if you're not seeing problems yet, a low score is an early warning, not a final sentence.
Follow these best practices to maintain a strong domain reputation:
Use a reputable domain registrar and avoid hiding WHOIS details unless necessary
Choose high-quality hosting and avoid "bad neighborhood" shared environments
Don’t spin up large numbers of disposable domains—fewer, long-lived domains build more trust
Keep your domains active—avoid letting them sit idle for long periods
Properly configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records
Actively monitor your domain reputation through EmailGuard
We’re here to help. EmailGuard will show you:
Which dimension(s) are lowering your score
Whether the issue stems from your IP, DNS, or email senders
Tags like phishing, botnetcc, or abused that indicate specific issues
Recent contexts in which your domain appeared (headers, links, redirect chains, etc.)
SummaryMaintaining a strong domain reputation takes consistent care, but with Spamhaus Intelligence and EmailGuard, you have the tools to stay ahead of issues, protect your brand, and ensure your emails keep landing in the inbox.
