Blacklists Compared

21 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
63557(total number of IP addresses tested, including 203 at SDSC)
60212(union of most IP zones)
48840zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
47753l2.apews.org
44525b.barracudacentral.org
43062t1.dnsbl.net.au
35944cbl.abuseat.org
35820zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
30778dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
29899zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
28460hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
27297dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
26964dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
20907dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
20332ubl.unsubscore.com
20299hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
19558blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (union of all results)
18084psbl.surriel.com
16343no-more-funn.moensted.dk (union of all results)
16016blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
13682dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
10269no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.3 = dialup)
9775bl.spamcop.net
9029db.wpbl.info
8927zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
7179dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
6713spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
5470no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
5178hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
4028ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
3888bl.spamcannibal.org
3812list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
3743tr.countries.nerd.dk
3743ips.backscatterer.org
3657countries.blackholes.us (result 127.1.5.6 = China)
3175dnsbl.inps.de
2926korea.services.net
2788hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2553countries.blackholes.us (result 127.0.7.6 = Brazil)
2515spamsources.fabel.dk
2371countries.blackholes.us (result 127.7.9.2 = Turkey)
2323blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
2003countries.blackholes.us (result 127.4.1.0 = Korea)
1822hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
1673mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
1626countries.blackholes.us (result 127.6.4.3 = Russia)
1467hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1192dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
1191blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.4 = unconfirmed opt-in)
1013rmst.dnsbl.net.au
949countries.blackholes.us (result 127.7.6.4 = Thailand)
819aspews.ext.sorbs.net
817dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
615countries.blackholes.us (result 127.0.3.2 = Argentina)
500countries.blackholes.us (result 127.1.5.8 = Taiwan)
408no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.10 = open proxy)
383query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
382countries.blackholes.us (result 127.4.8.4 = Mexico)
365countries.blackholes.us (result 127.3.9.2 = Japan)
325zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
294dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
197accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
182no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
150iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
149countries.blackholes.us (result 127.3.4.4 = Hong Kong)
121dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
113iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
113dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
103hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
87spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
85countries.blackholes.us (result 127.7.0.2 = Singapore)
84spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
83dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
81dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
63no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.7 = spam haven)
60countries.blackholes.us (result 127.4.5.8 = Malaysia)
46zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.5 = time-expired NJABL open proxy)
44bl.deadbeef.com
44l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
39dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
35tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
35probes.dnsbl.net.au
35tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
30dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
19dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
19dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
18blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.12 = spam-friendly freemail provider)
10blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.7 = spam haven)
6countries.blackholes.us (result 127.5.6.6 = Nigeria)
6multi.surbl.org
4dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.5 = open relay)
4dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
3multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
3multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
2spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.8 = open proxy)
1dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
1rdts.dnsbl.net.au
1spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.3 = spam source)
1hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)


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
63557(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 203 at SDSC)
39598hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
35490hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
30691(union of most domain zones)
24518l1.apews.org
21538abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
16123rddn.dnsbl.net.au
10528dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
10328whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
6297whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
4220hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
4031whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
3365hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2283webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
1041hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
695adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
456rhsbl.ahbl.org
388hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
239hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
137hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
75multi.surbl.org
58postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
46bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
44dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
37multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
37multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
31bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
28dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
17rhsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.11 = domain uses bad address space)
17rhsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
9bl.deadbeef.com
4porn.rhs.mailpolice.com
4hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)


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
42521(total number of domains tested, including 166 at SDSC)
36519hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
11116(union of most domain zones)
6355hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
4779hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
3522whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
3112whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
2567abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
2395bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
2228hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1975postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
1834hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
1377l1.apews.org
950multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
929multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
803webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
794multi.surbl.org
656hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
534hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
422dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
410whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
254adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
166bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
153rhsbl.ahbl.org
148porn.rhs.mailpolice.com
41hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
35rhsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.11 = domain uses bad address space)
35rhsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
25rddn.dnsbl.net.au (zone not intended for this use)
21multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
20hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
16dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
12dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
10ex.dnsbl.org
3fraud.rhs.mailpolice.com
1bl.deadbeef.com


This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 26 March 2009.