Blacklists Compared

9 May 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
118713(total number of IP addresses tested, including 203 at SDSC)
115362(union of most IP zones)
100761zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
99184l2.apews.org
96198b.barracudacentral.org
90655t1.dnsbl.net.au
77441cbl.abuseat.org
77410zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
71177hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
65032dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
64743dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
63949dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
59803zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
56191psbl.surriel.com
55747ubl.unsubscore.com
54346dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
33900hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
30755no-more-funn.moensted.dk (union of all results)
30208blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (union of all results)
30000dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
28170dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
26891blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
25525db.wpbl.info
24828bl.spamcop.net
20997no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.3 = dialup)
20462zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
17193ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
13198spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
11143hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
8866no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
8432mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
7779dnsbl.inps.de
7450tr.countries.nerd.dk
7223ips.backscatterer.org
6716korea.services.net
6456bl.spamcannibal.org
4118list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
3433hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
3325hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2939spamsources.fabel.dk
2126blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
1846hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
1767dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
1578rmst.dnsbl.net.au
1475dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
1171blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.4 = unconfirmed opt-in)
842dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
824aspews.ext.sorbs.net
681hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
507no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.10 = open proxy)
406query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
327no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
309zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
205accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
174dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
146iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
118dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
112no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.7 = spam haven)
102spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
99spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
98iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
71tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
71tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
60zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.5 = time-expired NJABL open proxy)
58bl.deadbeef.com
53probes.dnsbl.net.au
50dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
45dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
42l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
34dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
31dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
22dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
20blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.12 = spam-friendly freemail provider)
6multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
6multi.surbl.org
6multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
5dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
4dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.5 = open relay)
3rdts.dnsbl.net.au
3blackholes.brainerd.net
2dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
2spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.3 = spam source)
1dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
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)

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
118713(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 203 at SDSC)
74079hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
67262hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
60169(union of most domain zones)
51822l1.apews.org
43103abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
35174rddn.dnsbl.net.au
22356dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
20242whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
11565whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
8678whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
7665hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
3692hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
3457webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
735adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
654hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
596rhsbl.ahbl.org
299hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
226hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
165hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
72multi.surbl.org
53postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
50multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
50multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
49bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
39dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
25rhsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.11 = domain uses bad address space)
25rhsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
23bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
13bl.deadbeef.com
8dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
5porn.rhs.mailpolice.com
5hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
2ex.dnsbl.org

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
62969(total number of domains tested, including 175 at SDSC)
55325hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
14214(union of most domain zones)
7717hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
5990hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
5316whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
4753whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
3278bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
3276abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
2795hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2203postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
2146hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
1777l1.apews.org
1223hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
1155webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
838multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
806multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
740hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
720multi.surbl.org
563whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
460dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
301adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
257rddn.dnsbl.net.au (zone not intended for this use)
252porn.rhs.mailpolice.com
203bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
114dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
113rhsbl.ahbl.org
42rhsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.11 = domain uses bad address space)
42rhsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
37hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
32multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
32hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
15ex.dnsbl.org
6dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
4fraud.rhs.mailpolice.com
1hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.3 = MTA somtimes sends QUIT)
1bl.deadbeef.com

This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 14 May 2009.