What are reputation databases?

Reputation databases aggregate sender behavior data across the ecosystem. They track IP and domain history, spam complaint rates, **spam trap** hits, bounce rates, and engagement patterns. MBPs and filters consult these databases when making delivery decisions.

Major reputation databases include **Spamhaus** (blocklists), **Validity** (**Sender Score**, certification), **Talos Intelligence**, **Barracuda** Reputation, and **MBP**-specific systems like **Gmail**'s internal reputation. Each weighs different signals and serves different filtering systems.

Your reputation exists across multiple databases simultaneously. Good standing with **Gmail** doesn't guarantee good standing with **Spamhaus**. Problems in one database may not immediately reflect in others. Comprehensive monitoring requires checking multiple sources to understand your overall reputation health.