You check your email and see the dreaded message: “Spamhaus blocking my emails”. Customers start complaining that they’re not receiving password resets, order confirmations, or contact form responses. Why is WordPress not sending emails?
When Spamhaus blocks your emails, it’s often the first sign your website has been compromised. Hackers frequently use infected WordPress sites to send spam emails from your server, triggering these blocklist warnings.
The first thing to do is scan your site for malware.
This article shares everything I learned about identifying, cleaning, and preventing these attacks. With the right tools you’ll have your emails going to customers as normal.
When Spamhaus blocks your emails, it’s usually because your WordPress site is compromised and sending spam. Immediately scan your site for malware using security plugins like MalCare, clean any infected files, then wait for Spamhaus to delist your site.
Why was Spamhaus blocking my emails?
Spamhaus is blocking emails because their automated systems found that your WordPress site is sending spam emails. Their monitoring algorithms analyze factors like email volume, recipient complaints, server security, and authentication protocols to make these determinations. Here are some potential reasons why you were flagged.
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High complaint rates
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Sudden email volume spikes
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Bot-like sending patterns
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Irrelevant content distribution
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Unsecured email server
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Open relay configuration
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Compromised server sending spam
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Missing SPF/DKIM/DMARC authentication
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Purchased email lists
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Old, inactive contacts
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Low engagement rates
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Other sites’ spam activity on shared hosting
How to Check if Spamhaus is Blocking Your Emails
Before you can fix a Spamhaus block, you need to confirm that’s actually the problem. Email delivery issues can stem from various sources, so it’s crucial to verify whether Spamhaus has specifically flagged your IP address or domain.
Step 1: Look up your IP/domain
Start by using the official Spamhaus Blocklist Checker and enter your server’s IP address or domain name to see if you’re listed on their blocklists. If you’re unsure of your IP address, you can find it in your hosting control panel or by searching “what is my IP” in Google while logged into your server.
Step 2: Decode bounce messages
When your WooCommerce emails fail to deliver due to Spamhaus blocks, you’ll typically receive bounce-back messages with specific error codes. Look for phrases like “Blocked using Spamhaus XBL” or “rejected because IP is in Spamhaus SBL” in these bounce notifications. These messages often include additional details like the specific reason code and sometimes even instructions for delisting.
How to Fix Spamhaus Email Blocks
Once you’ve confirmed that Spamhaus is blocking your emails, swift action is essential to minimize damage to your email reputation and business operations. The fix isn’t just about getting delisted—you need to address the root cause that triggered the block in the first place. Here’s what I did to fix it:
Step 1: Scan Servers for Malware
If your server appeared on Spamhaus’s XBL (Exploits Block List), your system has likely been compromised. You’ve been hacked and your site is being used to send spam. Malware or virus infections need to be identified quickly.
Option 1: Use a malware scanner (RECOMMENDED)
A malware scanner plugin like MalCare analyses the code in your files and database tables for malicious behaviour. Just install the plugin from your WordPress dashboard and it will automatically run a complete scan.
MalCare’s advantage is its cloud-based scanning technology that doesn’t slow down your website during the process. It’s comprehensive and you’ll get a full report in minutes.
Option 2: Manual Malware Scanning
If you’d rather get your hands dirty, you can scan for malware manually. Access your server via SSH or FTP and scrutinise every line of code and database table. Look for suspicious files with random names, PHP files in image directories, or scripts that weren’t created by you.
Manual scanning is prone to errors. You need the technical know-how to understand how a line of code behaves and understand if it is malicious. It’s also tedious and time consuming. You have to review every file and table.
Step 2: Remove the Malware
Once you’ve identified malware on your server, you need to remove the malicious code before attempting to get delisted from Spamhaus. Here are three different ways to do so:
Option 1: Using a malware cleaning plugin (RECOMMENDED)
We tested the top malware cleaning plugins and found that MalCare removed the malware the best. MalCare’s automated cleaning feature removes detected malware with a single click. The service maintains backups during the cleaning process, allowing you to restore your site if anything goes wrong. Their cloud-based technology ensures complete removal without affecting your website’s performance during the process.
Here’s how to use the feature:
- Install the plugin from the repo
- Sign up and add your site to the dashboard
- Upgrade to the paid subscription plans
- Navigate to the security section of the dashboard
- Click Clean Malware and wait for the process to complete
Option 2: Hire an Expert
Professional malware removal services can handle complex infections that automated tools might struggle with. Security experts manually analyze your server, identify all malicious code, and implement custom solutions for sophisticated attacks.
This option typically costs $200-500+ and can take 24-48 hours to complete, delaying your email restoration*.*
Option 3: Manually Clean Your Site
You can manually delete infected files, remove malicious code from compromised files, and restore clean versions from backups. This involves identifying each infected file, understanding the malware’s structure, and ensuring complete removal.
High risk of missing hidden malware or accidentally deleting critical files. Requires advanced technical knowledge and can take several hours. One missed malicious file means the spam sending continues.
Step 3: Setup an SMTP Plugin
After cleaning your site, configure a dedicated SMTP plugin to ensure your emails are properly authenticated and sent through secure channels. WP Mail SMTP is the most reliable solution for WordPress sites, allowing you to route emails through trusted third-party services instead of your potentially compromised server.
- Install WP Mail SMTP from your WordPress dashboard (Plugins > Add New)
- Activate the plugin and navigate to WP Mail SMTP > Settings
- Choose your preferred email service (Gmail, Outlook, or dedicated SMTP service)
- Enter your email service credentials (username, password, app password)
- Configure SMTP settings (host, port, encryption – usually auto-detected)
- Set your “From Email” to match your domain name
- Enable authentication (typically SSL/TLS encryption)
- Send a test email to verify the configuration works
- Monitor the email logs for successful delivery confirmation
- Update any contact forms to use the new SMTP configuration
Step 4: Boost your website security
Great. You’ve removed the malware. But, you have to make sure you won’t get reinfected. You want to make sure that your site isn’t hacked before Spamhaus delists you. Here are some things I did to boost my security:
Install a Security Plugin
Set up continuous protection with a comprehensive security plugin like MalCare. These tools provide regular automated scans that detect malware before it can start sending spam from your server. The faster you get alerted, the faster you can fix the problem.
The plugin will also configure a web application firewall (WAF) to block malicious traffic before it reaches your server**.** It filters out known attack patterns, bot traffic, and suspicious IP addresses. This prevents many of the initial infection attempts that lead to spam-sending compromises.
Login Security
With MalCare, you can enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all administrator accounts to prevent unauthorized access. This way, even if hackers obtain your password through data breaches or brute force attacks, they won’t be able to access your site without the second authentication factor. This simple step prevents most of the account compromises that lead to spam campaigns.
Implement login attempt limits. Configure your security plugin to block IP addresses after multiple failed login attempts and use CAPTCHA or similar challenges to prevent automated bots from targeting your login page. These measures significantly reduce the risk of successful brute force attacks.
Update your WordPress site
Keep your WordPress core, themes, and plugins updated to close security vulnerabilities that hackers exploit to compromise your site. Outdated software is one of the most common entry points for malware that leads to spam sending and Spamhaus blocks. Enable automatic updates for minor WordPress releases and security patches, but manually review major updates to ensure compatibility with your current setup.
Use a staging plugin to test updates before you push them to your live site. You can also use tools like UpdateLens to help you assess the risk of an update.
Change all your passwords
Immediately change your WordPress admin panel password along with all other account credentials associated with your website. Weak or compromised passwords are often how hackers gain initial access to install malware that sends spam from your server. Use strong, unique passwords that combine uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters—ideally 12+ characters long. Don’t forget to update passwords for your hosting account, FTP access, database users, and any third-party services connected to your site. Consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords securely, ensuring each account has a unique credential that can’t be easily guessed or cracked through brute force attacks.
Upgrade IP address
Upgrade to a dedicated IP address for business email sending, especially if you’re currently on shared hosting. Shared hosting environments increase your risk of “bad neighbor” effects, where other sites’ security issues can impact your email reputation. A dedicated IP gives you complete control over your email sending reputation.
Secure your email server configuration by closing open relays and implementing proper authentication. Work with your hosting provider to ensure your server can’t be used as an open relay for spam, and verify that all outgoing emails are properly authenticated with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
Step 5: Submit a Delisting Request
Once you’ve cleaned your server and secured your email setup, you can request removal from Spamhaus blocklists. The delisting process varies depending on which list you’re on, but Spamhaus provides official tools to streamline the removal. Acting quickly after resolving the underlying issues increases your chances of successful delisting.
- Navigate to the Spamhaus Blocklist Removal Center at spamhaus.org/lookup
- Enter your IP address or domain.
- If you’re listed click the Request Removal or Delist button next to the blocked entry.
You’ll have to fill the official removal form and it requires you to confirm that you’ve addressed the issues that caused the listing. The removal form will ask you to verify that you’ve eliminated the source of the problem—whether that’s removing malware, securing your server, or fixing configuration issues.
They offer automatic delisting after the malware or compromise has been resolved. These automated removals typically process within 24-48 hours once their systems detect that the spam activity has stopped. You can monitor your delisting status using the same lookup tool you used to check your initial listing.
For manual review lists like the SBL (Spamhaus Block List), the process may take longer as human reviewers assess your removal request. During this waiting period, avoid sending any emails from your server, as continued activity could delay or prevent your delisting approval.
Troubleshooting Spamhaus Blocks
If your delisting request was denied or your IP gets blocked again shortly after removal, there are likely deeper issues that need addressing. Persistent Spamhaus blocks often indicate ongoing security issues. Rather than repeatedly submitting removal requests, you need to dig deeper and identify why the blocks keep returning. Here’s how to troubleshoot stubborn Spamhaus listings and achieve permanent resolution.
If Delisting Fails
When your removal request gets denied, Spamhaus typically provides specific reasons in their response email. Don’t immediately resubmit the same request—instead, gather concrete evidence that you’ve addressed their concerns. Screenshot your malware scan results, document the security measures you’ve implemented, and compile server logs showing the cessation of suspicious activity.
Email Spamhaus support with detailed documentation of your remediation efforts. Include proof of malware removal (MalCare scan results), screenshots of your new SMTP configuration, and server logs showing no spam activity for at least 48 hours. Explain the specific steps you took to secure your server and prevent future compromises.
False Positives?
If you’re confident your server hasn’t been compromised and you haven’t violated any email policies, submit a formal dispute through Spamhaus’s appeal process. Provide evidence of your legitimate email practices, such as double opt-in subscription records, low complaint rates, and proper authentication setup.
Include documentation showing that your IP was recently assigned to you (if applicable) and that you’ve implemented all recommended security measures. False positive appeals require patience, as Spamhaus errs on the side of caution, but legitimate disputes are eventually resolved.
Final Thoughts
Yes, it was fairly easy to fix. Your emails are getting sent as normal now. It was scary and you got through it.
But, the truth is that Spamhaus blocks are preventable with the right security measures in place. That’s why we recommend that you use a security plugin like MalCare to make sure this never happens to you. Regular automated scans, real-time threat detection, and proactive malware removal are far more cost-effective than dealing with the aftermath of a compromise. The time you spend recovering from email blocks, lost business communications, and damaged sender reputation far exceeds the investment in proper security tools.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
A Spamhaus block occurs when the Spamhaus organization adds your IP address or domain to one of their blocklists (SBL, XBL, or PBL) due to spam-like activity. When you’re on these lists, many email servers worldwide will automatically reject your emails before they reach recipients’ inboxes.
First, identify and fix the underlying issue that caused the block—usually malware, server compromise, or poor email practices. Then visit spamhaus.org/lookup, enter your IP address, and click the removal request button. Some lists like XBL automatically delist within 24-48 hours once the problem is resolved.
Your IP is blacklisted because Spamhaus detected suspicious activity from your server, such as sending spam emails, having an open relay configuration, or being compromised by malware. The specific reason depends on which list you’re on: SBL for known spam sources, XBL for hijacked machines, or PBL for dynamic IP ranges.
Stop all email sending immediately, scan your server for malware using tools like MalCare, clean any infections, and secure your email configuration with proper SPF/DKIM/DMARC authentication. Then request delisting from Spamhaus and implement ongoing security measures to prevent future blocks.
Your emails are being blocked because your server appears on one or more email blocklists, most commonly Spamhaus. This typically happens when your WordPress site gets hacked and used to send spam, or when your email practices trigger spam filters. Check your IP status at spamhaus.org/lookup to confirm the block.
