Blacklists Compared

13 June 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
147390(total number of IP addresses tested, including 206 at SDSC)
143679(union of most IP zones)
130059zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
125197l2.apews.org
105138b.barracudacentral.org
102702cbl.abuseat.org
102675zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
95798hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
88711dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
88340dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
87169dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
81433dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
75749zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
66073psbl.surriel.com
62429t1.dnsbl.net.au
62248dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
53999hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
39696blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (union of all results)
38348dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
37959no-more-funn.moensted.dk (union of all results)
35710blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
35261bl.spamcop.net
28535ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
27452no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.3 = dialup)
24921zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
23638db.wpbl.info
23499ubl.unsubscore.com
13871mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
11495spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
9475dnsbl.inps.de
9439tr.countries.nerd.dk
9395no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
8772korea.services.net
8175bl.spamcannibal.org
6456hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
6184ips.backscatterer.org
3968list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
3373hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
3190spamsources.fabel.dk
2726blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
2033dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
1881hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
1769dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
1611rmst.dnsbl.net.au
1532hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1241blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.4 = unconfirmed opt-in)
803hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
734aspews.ext.sorbs.net
510no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.10 = open proxy)
505no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
447l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
373query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
276l1.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
226accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
178iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
166zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
143dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
139no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.7 = spam haven)
132iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
121dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
101tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
101tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
100spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
98spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
71probes.dnsbl.net.au
68bl.deadbeef.com
61dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
59dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
49dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
39zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.5 = time-expired NJABL open proxy)
37dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
33dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
19blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.12 = spam-friendly freemail provider)
10dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
7multi.surbl.org
7rdts.dnsbl.net.au
5hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
3dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
3dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
2dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
1multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
1dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.5 = open relay)
1spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.3 = spam source)
1spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.8 = open proxy)
1blackholes.brainerd.net
1multi.uribl.com (union of all results)

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
147390(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 206 at SDSC)
94606hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
87098hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
78962(union of most domain zones)
68982l1.apews.org
59264abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
46052rddn.dnsbl.net.au
29432dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
25041whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
13279whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
11762whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
7766hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
3905webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
3631hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1010hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
743adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
577rhsbl.ahbl.org
372hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
266hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
170dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
129hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
60postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
55multi.surbl.org
52multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
52multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
46bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
44dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
35rhsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.11 = domain uses bad address space)
35rhsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
30bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
26hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
18bl.deadbeef.com
7porn.rhs.mailpolice.com
1ex.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
38851(total number of domains tested, including 175 at SDSC)
32635hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
11368(union of most domain zones)
6205hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
5110whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
4674whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
4079hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2665abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
2517hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1824hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
1372bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
1255l1.apews.org
1194postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
1099multi.surbl.org
1063multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
1038multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
928hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
896webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
661hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
436whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
398dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
277adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
160bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
145rddn.dnsbl.net.au (zone not intended for this use)
132porn.rhs.mailpolice.com
92rhsbl.ahbl.org
61hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
43dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
30rhsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.11 = domain uses bad address space)
30rhsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
24multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
20hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
11ex.dnsbl.org
5dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
4fraud.rhs.mailpolice.com
4bl.deadbeef.com
1multi.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 18 June 2009.