Blacklists Compared

4 April 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
74497(total number of IP addresses tested, including 215 at SDSC)
70692(union of most IP zones)
58426zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
56285b.barracudacentral.org
51116t1.dnsbl.net.au
43019cbl.abuseat.org
42985zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
38138l2.apews.org
36131dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
34283zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
32786dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
31843dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
30912hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
27188dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
25378psbl.surriel.com
21762ubl.unsubscore.com
20830hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
18369no-more-funn.moensted.dk (union of all results)
17294blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (union of all results)
16881dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
14486blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
12858no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.3 = dialup)
11679bl.spamcop.net
11653zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
11559dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
10025db.wpbl.info
6774spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
6123ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
6044hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
4900no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
4723ips.backscatterer.org
4531bl.spamcannibal.org
4482dnsbl.inps.de
3931list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
3723tr.countries.nerd.dk
3716countries.blackholes.us (result 127.0.7.6 = Brazil)
3333hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
3235countries.blackholes.us (result 127.1.5.6 = China)
2609korea.services.net
2456countries.blackholes.us (result 127.7.9.2 = Turkey)
2220mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
2116spamsources.fabel.dk
2087countries.blackholes.us (result 127.6.4.3 = Russia)
1997hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1901blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
1860countries.blackholes.us (result 127.4.1.0 = Korea)
1715hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
1327dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
1134countries.blackholes.us (result 127.7.6.4 = Thailand)
1110rmst.dnsbl.net.au
987dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
877blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.4 = unconfirmed opt-in)
793countries.blackholes.us (result 127.0.3.2 = Argentina)
757aspews.ext.sorbs.net
488countries.blackholes.us (result 127.4.8.4 = Mexico)
410countries.blackholes.us (result 127.1.5.8 = Taiwan)
405query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
378zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
367no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.10 = open proxy)
341countries.blackholes.us (result 127.3.9.2 = Japan)
253dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
208no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
195accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
162iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
141dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
125iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
122countries.blackholes.us (result 127.3.4.4 = Hong Kong)
119countries.blackholes.us (result 127.7.0.2 = Singapore)
111hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
87dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
77countries.blackholes.us (result 127.4.5.8 = Malaysia)
72no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.7 = spam haven)
70dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
64dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
60zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.5 = time-expired NJABL open proxy)
52bl.deadbeef.com
43l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
42tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
42tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
41probes.dnsbl.net.au
37dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
27dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
21blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.12 = spam-friendly freemail provider)
20dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
19dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
16spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
15spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
11countries.blackholes.us (result 127.5.6.6 = Nigeria)
8blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.7 = spam haven)
5multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
5multi.surbl.org
5multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
3dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
3rdts.dnsbl.net.au
2dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.5 = open relay)
2blackholes.brainerd.net
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
74497(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 215 at SDSC)
49046hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
43736hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
37426(union of most domain zones)
25858abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
20600rddn.dnsbl.net.au
19669l1.apews.org
12868dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
12054whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
7126whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
4946hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
4928whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
4069hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2821webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
700adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
611hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
524hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
338rhsbl.ahbl.org
277hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
124hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
83multi.surbl.org
50postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
46multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
46multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
45hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
37dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
37bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
24bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
23dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
13rhsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.11 = domain uses bad address space)
13rhsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
12bl.deadbeef.com
5porn.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
54296(total number of domains tested, including 179 at SDSC)
48488hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
13626(union of most domain zones)
8281hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
6103hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
5320whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
4855whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
3193abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
2878bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
2726hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2241postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
1622l1.apews.org
1145hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
978multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
948multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
932webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
882hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
805multi.surbl.org
703hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
472dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
465whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
263adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
201porn.rhs.mailpolice.com
121rhsbl.ahbl.org
111bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
46hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
39rhsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.11 = domain uses bad address space)
39rhsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
38hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
30multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
11rddn.dnsbl.net.au (zone not intended for this use)
9ex.dnsbl.org
4dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
3bl.deadbeef.com
2fraud.rhs.mailpolice.com
1dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net


This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 10 April 2009.