Blacklists Compared

14 March 2009

[ Fighting Spam | Dialup Zones | Blacklists Compared | Current Blacklist Comparison | Sendmail Configuration ]


Survey results for all known public IP-based DNS blacklists. Lookups were done on connecting IP addresses. The "union of most IP zones" line excludes the hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (all results but 127.0.0.2, 127.0.0.3, and 127.0.0.4), exemptions.ahbl.org, query.bondedsender.org, list.dnswl.org, accredit.habeas.com, iadb.isipp.com, and iadb2.isipp.com zones because they are not blacklists. Because it is too aggressive to be widely useful the l2.apews.org zone is also excluded from the union.

HitsDNS Zone
65934(total number of IP addresses tested, including 211 at SDSC)
62440(union of most IP zones)
51319zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
49697l2.apews.org
46332t1.dnsbl.net.au
44624b.barracudacentral.org
39917cbl.abuseat.org
39871zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
31535zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
30617dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
29670dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
27433hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
27376dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
23570ubl.unsubscore.com
23286dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
21630hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
21299blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (union of all results)
20007psbl.surriel.com
17891blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
17448no-more-funn.moensted.dk (union of all results)
14863dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
10708no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.3 = dialup)
10424bl.spamcop.net
10267db.wpbl.info
8890zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
8420dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
7287spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
6014no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
5819ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
4683hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
4658countries.blackholes.us (result 127.1.5.6 = China)
3957bl.spamcannibal.org
3921list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
3641dnsbl.inps.de
3497ips.backscatterer.org
3322spamsources.fabel.dk
2885countries.blackholes.us (result 127.0.7.6 = Brazil)
2859tr.countries.nerd.dk
2747korea.services.net
2726hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2212blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
2019mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
1899countries.blackholes.us (result 127.7.9.2 = Turkey)
1892countries.blackholes.us (result 127.4.1.0 = Korea)
1817hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
1613hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1464countries.blackholes.us (result 127.6.4.3 = Russia)
1359dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
1249countries.blackholes.us (result 127.7.6.4 = Thailand)
1162blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.4 = unconfirmed opt-in)
1009rmst.dnsbl.net.au
998dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
823aspews.ext.sorbs.net
769countries.blackholes.us (result 127.0.3.2 = Argentina)
580countries.blackholes.us (result 127.1.5.8 = Taiwan)
475no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.10 = open proxy)
418countries.blackholes.us (result 127.4.8.4 = Mexico)
387countries.blackholes.us (result 127.3.9.2 = Japan)
368query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
342zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
271dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
218no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
213countries.blackholes.us (result 127.3.4.4 = Hong Kong)
209accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
169iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
140dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
132iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
121dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
116hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
108countries.blackholes.us (result 127.7.0.2 = Singapore)
95dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
93no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.7 = spam haven)
90dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
77countries.blackholes.us (result 127.4.5.8 = Malaysia)
76zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.5 = time-expired NJABL open proxy)
72spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
69spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
49bl.deadbeef.com
48l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
43dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
36tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
36tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
35probes.dnsbl.net.au
25dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
22dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
20blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.12 = spam-friendly freemail provider)
17dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
14blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.7 = spam haven)
8countries.blackholes.us (result 127.5.6.6 = Nigeria)
8multi.surbl.org
5rdts.dnsbl.net.au
5multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
4multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
4dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
3dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.5 = open relay)
2spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.3 = spam source)
1multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
1spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.8 = open proxy)
1hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
1dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
1blackholes.brainerd.net
1dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)


Survey results for all known public domain-name-based DNS blacklists. Lookups were done on the domain names of connecting IP addresses. The "union of most domain zones" line includes data from the hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com zone only when the results are 127.0.0.2, 127.0.0.3, or 127.0.0.4 because other results are not blacklists.

HitsDNS Zone
65934(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 211 at SDSC)
41643hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
36925hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
32322(union of most domain zones)
25887l1.apews.org
22581abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
17237rddn.dnsbl.net.au
11529dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
11065whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
6892whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
4543hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
4173whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
3195hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2467webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
1078hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
672adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
599rhsbl.ahbl.org
270hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
154multi.surbl.org
135hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
82multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
81multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
63postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
50dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
43bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
35bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
22dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
11rhsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.11 = domain uses bad address space)
11rhsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
10bl.deadbeef.com
2porn.rhs.mailpolice.com
1multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)


Survey results for all known public domain-name-based DNS blacklists. Lookups were done on SMTP sender domains. The "union of most domain zones" line includes data from the hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com zone only when the results are 127.0.0.2, 127.0.0.3, or 127.0.0.4 because other results are not blacklists.

HitsDNS Zone
43056(total number of domains tested, including 185 at SDSC)
37210hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
10643(union of most domain zones)
6146hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
4972hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
3701whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
3350whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
2551abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
2338bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
1984postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
1903hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1328l1.apews.org
1226hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
829webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
766multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
764multi.surbl.org
739multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
580hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
415dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
351whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
249adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
165bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
163rhsbl.ahbl.org
126porn.rhs.mailpolice.com
45hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
33dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
31rddn.dnsbl.net.au (zone not intended for this use)
26multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
24rhsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.11 = domain uses bad address space)
24rhsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
16dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
10ex.dnsbl.org
3fraud.rhs.mailpolice.com
1multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
1bl.deadbeef.com


This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 19 March 2009.