Blacklists Compared

1 September 2001

[ Fighting Spam | Blacklists Compared | Current Blacklist Comparison ]

Survey results for all known public IP-based DNS blacklists.

  Hits   DNS Zone
  5515  (total number of IP addresses tested, including 279 at SDSC)
  1197  (union of all IP zones except xbl.selwerd.cx)
  1034  xbl.selwerd.cx
   439  outputs.orbz.org
   294  inputs.orbz.org
   280  relays.ordb.org
   270  or.orbl.org
   213  blackholes.intersil.net
   204  blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.4 = unconfirmed opt-in)
   151  relays.mail-abuse.org
   139  relays.osirusoft.com (result 127.0.0.2 = relay)
   128  flowgoaway.com (new this week)
   108  block.blars.org
   106  orbs.dorkslayers.com
    85  blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
    80  ipwhois.rfc-ignorant.org
    80  relays.osirusoft.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
    65  dev.null.dk
    58  spammers.v6net.org
    38  blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.3 = dialup)
    25  blocktest.relays.osirusoft.com (not a blacklist!)
    14  dialups.mail-abuse.org
    12  relays.osirusoft.com (result 127.0.0.3 = dialup)
     6  ztl.dorkslayers.com
     4  blackholes.mail-abuse.org
     4  orbz.gst-group.co.uk (result 127.0.0.3 = relay)
     1  orbz.gst-group.co.uk (result 127.0.0.2 = relay output)
     1  blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.5 = should be listed at MAPS)
Survey results for all known public domain-name-based DNS blacklists.

  Hits   DNS Zone
  4072  (total number of domains tested, including 182 at SDSC)
   217  (union of all domain zones)
   141  whois.rfc-ignorant.org
    36  abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
    34  postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
    31  dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
The web sites listed below provide detailed information about the DNS zones listed above, including their listing policies.

The blackholes.intersil.net zone "lists entrenched spammers, mainsleaze and mainsleaze wannabes who have pestered users at Intersil." The flowgoaway.com zone lists flownetworks systems.

The XBL is excluded from the zone union because of of its extremely aggressive listing policy, but otherwise is shown for completeness.

This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 2 September 2001.