Institute for Spam and Internet Public Policy
About the Data Response Codes
1. What Are Data Response Codes?
The data response codes - which are published in our IADB (ISIPP Accreditation
Database) files, are a machine readable way for our SuretyMail Email
Accreditation program to provide
email receiving sites with information, or "data points",
about the legitimacy of the email being sent by the email sender in question.
Specifically, they provide factual information about such things as the level of
opt-in, authentication mechanisms published by the sender, how they maintain
their mailing lists, and other mailing practices. Taken as a whole, these
factual data points paint a picture of the type of email which a receiver can
expect to come from the sender, and the sender's IP addresses.
For example, a data response to a query may reveal that the email sender
in question is accredited by us, publishes an SPF record, and builds
their mailing lists by confirmed (double) opt-in. Or it may tell the querier
that the email coming from the sender's IP address is all one-to-one email, and
not mailing list mail at all, and that they publish rDNS, and SPF. Or it may
tell them that the sender is not listed in the IADB database at all (in which
case it means that they are not accredited with us).
2. What Are the Data Response Codes, and What Do They Mean?
The data response codes are all in the 127.x.y.z range.
The "x" and "y" value generally indicate the "what" of the data,
i.e. what the information provided is, while the "z" value generally
indicates the "how much", or the "if" in the case of a simple "yes/no"
data return.
For example, 127.0.255.z is reserved for information about whether the
listing is a vouched* listing. In this case ISIPP provides information
that a listing is a vouched listing, or that it is not, and so the "z" value indicates
simply "yes" or "no", with "255" being "yes", and "0" being "no". (*A
vouched listing means that you are either personally known to ISIPP or
a referring group, or that your reference and background check and
mailing practices demonstrate that you are someone to whom we would
refer others for services.)
Another example would be the 127.3.3.z range, which is the level of
opt-in for the sender's mailing lists as reported by the senders
themselves (there is another range for externally verified opt-in levels). Again, the "z" value indicates
"how much", with 127.3.3.1 indicating an opt-out policy, 127.3.3.10
indicating that all of the sender's mailing lists are confirmed opt-in,
and values in between indicating an intermediate opt-in level.
Note that there are exceptions to the "z" = "how much" or "yes/no". In
ranges from 127.2.128.z through 127.2.255.z, the "y" indicates a
category, and the "z" indicates an affirmative for a subcategory. For
example, 127.2.255.z is reserved for information about external
authentication systems in which the listee may participate, such as
SPF or Ironport's Bonded Sender. A score of 127.2.255.1 indicates that
the sender publishes an SPF record, a score of 127.2.255.12 indicates
that the sender is listed with Ironport's Bonded Sender program.
Confused? It's ok, these codes are meant for computers to read, but if
you really need to know exactly what a given code means, you can look it
up on our code list.
3. How Did You Come Up with the Data Response Codes?
ISIPP worked closely with both leading spam filters and ISPs to develop
the data response codes. They are based on what ISPs and
spam filters need in terms of both data format, and data content.
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