Mailkit and Omnivery keep email services secure with Spamhaus Intelligence API

About Mailkit & Omnivery

Since 2006 Mailkit have been continuously developing an email marketing service, focusing on enterprise customers with good mailing practices. Named as “the ones who know how to deliver”, they are advocates of best emailing practices, with a gleaming reputation as a highly compliant email service provider. In the words of Jakub Olexa, Founder and CEO of Mailkit, “We make sure that we deliver messages, not just send them. Deliverability is key”.

As a testament to their deliverability reputation, the market wanted access to their superior sending infrastructure as a standalone sender service. In response, they launched Omnivery, a message-sending service that upholds the same no-nonsense policies as Mailkit; no free plans, technical checks, strict service and privacy policy, and robust vetting rules.

However, to achieve this requires an exceptionally clean network, ensuring no bad actors – or even questionable actors – can gain entry.

Vetting is vital

In order to preserve a safe and clean network for email senders, enforcing protective measures is critical for Mailkit, of which vetting is key. Before even being considered for a contract, rigorous vetting is a prerequisite for any Mailkit customer.

Consisting of two stages, the vetting process first focuses on the company, followed by scrutiny of all underlying domains connected to the brand. Undoubtedly, the process is thorough, involving extensive analysis of factors including the newsletter sign-up process, brand reputation, customer satisfaction, individuals associated and of course domain reputation.

Breadth of data is as important as quality

Before acquiring Spamhaus Intelligence API, Mailkit had mainly relied on their own spam trap network to gather insights and signals into potential bad actors, particularly domain reputation. With, their spam trap network heavily skewed towards Europe and Central Europe, they had limited signal to gather insight for English-speaking countries.

In search of data to address the gap, Jakub knew of Spamhaus as leaders in IP and domain reputation and reached out with a request: “You have all this data, and we want that data!”.

How does Mailkit use Spamhaus’ reputation data?

For both Mailkit and Omnivery the rich IP and domain data available via the Spamhaus Intelligence API (SIA) enables more in-depth vetting of potential customers. With access to over 12 different APIs valuable context relating to every domain Spamhaus researchers observe is available. Mailkit are not focused on any single data point, such as the domain reputation score, or the time last seen. Each and every piece of data adds value.

Armed with the extensive signal, deliverability specialists analyse the data to build a comprehensive picture of the associated domains. It’s not an automatic evaluation process – there’s no numerical score or range. Time is invested into building a granular view of each new potential customer. The result? By gathering as much information as possible, Mailkit can make an informed decision.

And the benefits for Mailkit?

Aside from SIA’s easy integration, Mailkit are experiencing more efficient and effective vetting, leading to a cleaner and safer email service for customers!

The sheer volume and velocity of signal from SIA, supplies Mailkit with the essential data to gain a 360-degree view of their potential customers’ domains, enabling a more robust and rapid vetting process.

Speed is key when it comes to vetting, because, despite all intents and purpose the time it takes can often be viewed negatively. For Mailkit, being able to vet customers as efficiently and quickly as possible, is critical. SIA enables exactly this, Jakub explains, “The additional data from our relationship with Spamhaus, allows us to vet faster and smoother, arriving at a yes or no as quickly as possible.”

However, it’s not only speed and efficiency. SIA also enables Mailkit to constantly observe and monitor any changes to customer domain reputation, adding an additional layer of protection and security. It’s a win, win situation!

And although, you may have to wait a little a longer to become an accepted customer of Mailkit, the rewards are worth it – a secure email service, driving better deliverability and overall business success!

A collaborative relationship

Everyone associated with the internet’s infrastructure and services has a responsibility to contribute to keeping it a safe environment for all its users. In addition to running an exceptionally clean network and being an ambassador for good sending practices, data flows reciprocally between Mailkit and Spamhaus. Because, after all, sharing is caring.

Furthermore, from SIA’s inception, Mailkit has collaborated with Spamhaus, sharing insights and feedback to pinpoint their data requirements from the Spamhaus Intelligence API.

Mailkit and Spamhaus’ partnership goes beyond a commercial collaboration, to one that also is for the good of the internet.  Long may it continue. You can learn more about the Spamhaus Intelligence API and start a free 30-day trial here.