Blacklists Compared

18 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
92139(total number of IP addresses tested, including 232 at SDSC)
88644(union of most IP zones)
74668zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
73584l2.apews.org
71172b.barracudacentral.org
66925t1.dnsbl.net.au
56880cbl.abuseat.org
56826zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
49001dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
46843dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
46512dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
42702zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
41635hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
36898psbl.surriel.com
36478dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
34819ubl.unsubscore.com
27786hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
23330no-more-funn.moensted.dk (union of all results)
21958dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
21873blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (union of all results)
18829blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
17118no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.3 = dialup)
16742zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
16336dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
16319db.wpbl.info
16285bl.spamcop.net
8058ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
8050spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
7723hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
7381tr.countries.nerd.dk
6937ips.backscatterer.org
5593bl.spamcannibal.org
5543no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
4611dnsbl.inps.de
3893list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
3429hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
3394korea.services.net
3228hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2871mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
2451spamsources.fabel.dk
1966blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
1851hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
1534dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
1242dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
1195rmst.dnsbl.net.au
1057blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.4 = unconfirmed opt-in)
928aspews.ext.sorbs.net
415no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.10 = open proxy)
406query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
229no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
215zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
193dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
184accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
155iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
150dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
131spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
125spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
113iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
107hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
99dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
73no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.7 = spam haven)
62zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.5 = time-expired NJABL open proxy)
59probes.dnsbl.net.au
58tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
58tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
57dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
53bl.deadbeef.com
44dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
42l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
32dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
25dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
20blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.12 = spam-friendly freemail provider)
18dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
12dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
10multi.surbl.org
5multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
5spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.8 = open proxy)
5multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
3dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.5 = open relay)
3rdts.dnsbl.net.au
2dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = 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)
1blackholes.brainerd.net

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
92139(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 232 at SDSC)
59537hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
54597hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
46301(union of most domain zones)
39662l1.apews.org
32141abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
26726rddn.dnsbl.net.au
16475dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
15740whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
8420whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
7320whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
6585hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
4383hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
3186webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
759hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
705adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
530rhsbl.ahbl.org
348hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
219hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
176hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
89multi.surbl.org
67postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
53bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
47dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
43multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
43multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
41bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
25dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
20rhsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.11 = domain uses bad address space)
20rhsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
15hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
11bl.deadbeef.com
8porn.rhs.mailpolice.com
1fraud.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
63046(total number of domains tested, including 212 at SDSC)
54244hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
15340(union of most domain zones)
8210hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
6457hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
6406whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
5916whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
3522abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
3105bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
2865hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2261postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
1726hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
1647l1.apews.org
1386hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
1190webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
910hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
822multi.surbl.org
720multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
695multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
531dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
490whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
260adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
238bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
237porn.rhs.mailpolice.com
110rhsbl.ahbl.org
48hostkarma.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)
37hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
25rddn.dnsbl.net.au (zone not intended for this use)
24dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
22multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
17ex.dnsbl.org
14dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
4fraud.rhs.mailpolice.com
3multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
2bl.deadbeef.com

This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 23 April 2009.