DroneBL Frequently Asked Questions
This page addresses some frequently asked questions about DroneBL.
What is DroneBL
DroneBL collects IP addresses of devices that have engaged in automated bad behavior in the past. Other services can subscribe to DroneBL to help prevent automated bad behavior from happening to them.
Why am I in DroneBL?
Being listed means that the IP address you currently use was previously used for bad things. The good news is that it probably was not anything you did!
Most people do not have permanent IP addresses because Internet providers often change who has an IP address. The listing is possibly because whoever had it previously had malware such as a virus, or something like that.
However, getting the IP address removed will take longer if the problem is still around! If you do have a permanent IP address, or if the listing is quite recent, please check that your devices are all updated -- including your modem or router -- and that you have anti-malware software such as Windows Defender active.
Until the IP address is removed, you might be banned from a game or other service, or blocked from sending emails. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Can I get removed from DroneBL?
You can only request removal for IP addresses you are the primary user of. If you are on residential internet, that means the address your ISP or phone company gives you.
If you are using a VPN, including services like Private Relays, or if you're using the public WIFI in a business or organization outside your home, you should talk to the people who run the service or WIFI.
If you are using a server and you are not the administrator of it, you should talk to the administrator. You might recognize these as shell providers, pubnixes, tildes, or similar.
How do I get removed from DroneBL?
First, visit the lookup page. It will show you the current IP address of the device you are using in the search field. It is best to submit the request from the affected device.
If you are on the device that is blocked because of DroneBL, visit the listing lookup page and click the button to search for your listing.
If you are on a different device, you will instead need to type in the affected device's IP address. On the affected device, visit icanhazip.com. It will tell you the IP address you need. Click here to go to the listing lookup page, type the IP address shown on the affected device in the search field, and click the button to search for its listing.
After you have submitted the request for removal, it can take some time for the volunteer contributors to review and process the request. Please be patient!
I have followed your instructions, why is it not fixed?
Submitting a removal request is just one part of the process.
The request for removal is sent to whoever supervises the system that listed you, and only when it has been reviewed will the listing be removed from the service. This can take time, depending on how the listing was collected. However, if the listing isn't removed within a week or so, you can join IRC and ask. If you do not want to install an IRC client, you can connect from your web browser.
Once the removal is approved, the service that banned you will learn about the removal when they check the DroneBL system again. This is usually done at scheduled times, and will vary by service. You will need to reach out to the service directly to find out when that happens, or to speed up the process.
Do active entries automatically expire ?
Sometimes IP addresses are checked again and cleared by the service that lists them. However not all IPs get checked.
If you are currently affected, you should refer to the earlier sections of this FAQ for what you need to do.
Can I use your service to prevent bots or people from evading bans with proxies?
Yes! That's the entire purpose of this service. This service does not have all affected IPs addresses, but it has a lot of them.
How can I report open proxies with BOPM?
In bopm.conf, set dnsbl_to to bopm_report@dronebl.org. And dnsbl_from to
How can I set up my BOPM to use DroneBL?
This is covered in Using DroneBL: BOPM. Additionally, you should set up BOPM reporting if you can. It will help to contribute to the overall health of the DroneBL service.
How can I set up my __________ to use DroneBL's DNSBL service?
Read the manual for your __________. It will likely tell you what you need to add to your config file.
Can I use DroneBL in my IDS or network routing equipment to help improve security?
Yes. We would especially love it if you put Powered by DroneBL on your literature somewhere, but you don't have to if you don't want to.
If you do this, please let us know about it, and we will link to your product's website as a "device which uses the DroneBL service".
Will you provide DroneBL data in a format suitable to use as definitions?
Probably, but we will need to know:
- what type of data you want
- how you want the data to look
Again, if we do this, we want a plug, and we will likely not do it unless we get one.
About DroneBL
Who runs DroneBL?
The DroneBL software was primarily written and maintained by William Pitcock and Steve Church. Additional code and slave labor contributed by OUTsider of ScaryNet, Nick Davey, and William "AfterDeath" Heimbigner.
The DroneBL software is open source, released under a permissive BSD-style license.
The DroneBL service and the DroneBL DNSBL service are currently maintained by a team of volunteers and other contributors. You can reach the team at dronebl -at- tomaw.net or on IRC.
I would like to sue the DroneBL maintainers!
All legal correspondence should be sent by digitally signed e-mail to
dronebl -at- tomaw.net. Legal correspondence which is not digitally signed will be considered invalid per US standards.
I have found a bug in the Web Interface.
Please tell us about it. You can either let us know on IRC or by e-mailing dronebl -at- tomaw.net. Preferably the latter if this is a security issue!