Blacklists Compared

28 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
77044(total number of IP addresses tested, including 210 at SDSC)
73662(union of most IP zones)
61484zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
59896b.barracudacentral.org
58809l2.apews.org
53438t1.dnsbl.net.au
44877cbl.abuseat.org
44826zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
38704dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
37284zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
36088dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
34868dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
32318hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
29282ubl.unsubscore.com
28746dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
25567psbl.surriel.com
23588hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
20090no-more-funn.moensted.dk (union of all results)
20009blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (union of all results)
18099dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
16515blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
13519no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.3 = dialup)
13264bl.spamcop.net
11578dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
11361zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
11079db.wpbl.info
8290ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
7084spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
5834no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
5551hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
4666bl.spamcannibal.org
4192countries.blackholes.us (result 127.0.7.6 = Brazil)
4037ips.backscatterer.org
4031dnsbl.inps.de
3981countries.blackholes.us (result 127.1.5.6 = China)
3757list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
3459tr.countries.nerd.dk
3320korea.services.net
3103hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2864mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
2392blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
2366spamsources.fabel.dk
2325countries.blackholes.us (result 127.4.1.0 = Korea)
2235countries.blackholes.us (result 127.7.9.2 = Turkey)
1743countries.blackholes.us (result 127.6.4.3 = Russia)
1628hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
1584hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1485dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
1238countries.blackholes.us (result 127.7.6.4 = Thailand)
1166rmst.dnsbl.net.au
1088dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
1080blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.4 = unconfirmed opt-in)
831aspews.ext.sorbs.net
827countries.blackholes.us (result 127.0.3.2 = Argentina)
547countries.blackholes.us (result 127.4.8.4 = Mexico)
454no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.10 = open proxy)
442countries.blackholes.us (result 127.1.5.8 = Taiwan)
360query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
350zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
335countries.blackholes.us (result 127.3.9.2 = Japan)
302dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
197accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
189no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
157iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
136countries.blackholes.us (result 127.3.4.4 = Hong Kong)
134dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
126no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.7 = spam haven)
121iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
119countries.blackholes.us (result 127.7.0.2 = Singapore)
116hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
95dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
91dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
72countries.blackholes.us (result 127.4.5.8 = Malaysia)
70spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
67spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
61dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
57dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
53zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.5 = time-expired NJABL open proxy)
49bl.deadbeef.com
45tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
45tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
38probes.dnsbl.net.au
37l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
30dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
22dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
22dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
14countries.blackholes.us (result 127.5.6.6 = Nigeria)
11blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.7 = spam haven)
10blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.12 = spam-friendly freemail provider)
5multi.surbl.org
5rdts.dnsbl.net.au
4dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.5 = open relay)
3multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
3multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
2dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
2spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.8 = open proxy)
1dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
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)
1blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.11 = TCPA violator)

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
77044(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 210 at SDSC)
49272hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
44872hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
38995(union of most domain zones)
31918l1.apews.org
27771abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
21869rddn.dnsbl.net.au
14524dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
13178whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
8039whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
5139whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
4714hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
4007hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2736webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
872hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
699adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
435hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
389rhsbl.ahbl.org
251hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
133hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
85multi.surbl.org
61postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
40dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
40bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
36multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
36multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
29bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
26dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
13hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
12rhsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.11 = domain uses bad address space)
12rhsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
11bl.deadbeef.com
3porn.rhs.mailpolice.com

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
51310(total number of domains tested, including 169 at SDSC)
47144hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
12192(union of most domain zones)
7002hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
5222hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
3915whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
3540whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
3236bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
2612abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
2508postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
2395hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1431l1.apews.org
1216multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
1185multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
1159hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
856multi.surbl.org
822webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
526hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
435hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
406dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
375whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
242adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
175porn.rhs.mailpolice.com
137rhsbl.ahbl.org
132bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
59hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
39rhsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.11 = domain uses bad address space)
39rhsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
27multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
27hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
18rddn.dnsbl.net.au (zone not intended for this use)
14ex.dnsbl.org
9dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
4multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
4fraud.rhs.mailpolice.com
2hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.3 = MTA somtimes sends QUIT)
2dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
1bl.deadbeef.com

This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 3 April 2009.