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We've been updating things recently and a few articles were moved around. Here's what you were probably looking for: If Your Local IP is Blacklisted.

Overview

This article explains why an IP address may be blocked. For security reasons we do not reveal any specific criteria that will cause your IP address to be blocked.

What is an IP Address
Malware
Failed Login Attempts
Other Suspicious Activity

What is an IP Address

An IP address is a unique number assigned to your device by your internet service provider. IP addresses allow communication between devices on a network or the Internet.

For more information and steps to find your IP address go to Public IP Address and How To Find it.

Malware

The most common cause for a blocked IP address is malicious software on a device in your network. Malware on your network can attack a system at Bluehost and cause your IP address to be blocked. Here are a few things you can do to prevent or remove malware.

Keep up to date antivirus software.
Keep your operating system up to date.
Make sure all installed software is up to date and from a trusted source.
Have your antivirus software scan every computer and device on your network and remove any malware it finds.

Note: Antivirus software may not catch malware on your network. Try looking for any devices that act suspicious or remove any recently installed software.

Failed Login Attempts

Multiple failed login attempts within a short period of time can cause your IP address to become blocked. This applies to your Bluehost account, FTP, email, SSH, MySQL and other logins. This type of block occurs because it looks like a brute force attack against the Bluehostserver.

Failed login attempts may also come from scripts and software that connect to the server and have the incorrect username and password. In this case you will need to update your script or software username and password settings.

Other Suspicious Activity

Your IP address will be blocked if it is found to be participating in a DDOS attack. It may also be blocked if it makes excessive connections to the server, or accesses resources on the server consistent with known types of attacks. In these cases it’s best to make sure your devices are not infected with malware and are not participating in attacks.

If you need help identifying or removing malware from your network we recommend contacting your antivirus provider or a local IT service.

Knowledgebase Article