Blacklists Compared

30 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
144257(total number of IP addresses tested, including 188 at SDSC)
140696(union of most IP zones)
124752zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
121513l2.apews.org
99511b.barracudacentral.org
94854zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
94760cbl.abuseat.org
86912dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
86439hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
84900dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
80981t1.dnsbl.net.au
78687dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
78585dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
74375zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
57062psbl.surriel.com
52071dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
47592ubl.unsubscore.com
41961hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
37366dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
35762no-more-funn.moensted.dk (union of all results)
34417blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (union of all results)
30943blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
30114bl.spamcop.net
26372no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.3 = dialup)
25667zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
25412db.wpbl.info
17337ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
13617spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
12638hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
9958dnsbl.inps.de
9928mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
8854tr.countries.nerd.dk
8330no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
8072bl.spamcannibal.org
7233ips.backscatterer.org
6154korea.services.net
3873list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
3252hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
3011spamsources.fabel.dk
2667hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2361blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
2115dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
1868hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
1815dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
1612rmst.dnsbl.net.au
1092blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.4 = unconfirmed opt-in)
915aspews.ext.sorbs.net
745hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
564no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.10 = open proxy)
420no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
362l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
358query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
302dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
188accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
185zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
180dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
172l1.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
157iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
134no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.7 = spam haven)
125iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
120dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
93tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
92tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
84spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
77spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
71bl.deadbeef.com
67probes.dnsbl.net.au
57dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
50zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.5 = time-expired NJABL open proxy)
48dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
47dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
38dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
21blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.12 = spam-friendly freemail provider)
10dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
9multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
9multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
8multi.surbl.org
7rdts.dnsbl.net.au
7hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
4spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.3 = spam source)
3dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.5 = open relay)
3spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.8 = open proxy)
2dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
1dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
1tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
1dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)

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
144257(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 188 at SDSC)
92213hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
84613hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
76191(union of most domain zones)
66098l1.apews.org
54606abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
44913rddn.dnsbl.net.au
28016dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
25107whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
13547whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
11560whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
8788hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
4411webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
3586hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2103hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
722rhsbl.ahbl.org
678adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
347hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
296bl.deadbeef.com
272hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
171hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
70postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
67multi.surbl.org
52bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
50rhsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.11 = domain uses bad address space)
50rhsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
49dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
45multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
44multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
32hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
23bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
20dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
7porn.rhs.mailpolice.com
2ex.dnsbl.org
1multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)

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
75638(total number of domains tested, including 165 at SDSC)
64734hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
15994(union of most domain zones)
8533hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
7080hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
5346whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
4768whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
3835abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
3817bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
2995hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2527postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
2049hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
1867l1.apews.org
1847hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
1482webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
1100multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
1066multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
940multi.surbl.org
822hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
578whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
551dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
342porn.rhs.mailpolice.com
292adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
203bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
200rddn.dnsbl.net.au (zone not intended for this use)
106rhsbl.ahbl.org
98dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
51hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
49hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
37rhsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.11 = domain uses bad address space)
37rhsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
32multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
15ex.dnsbl.org
6dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
4fraud.rhs.mailpolice.com
3bl.deadbeef.com
2multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
1hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.3 = MTA somtimes sends QUIT)

This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 5 June 2009.