Blacklists Compared

4 July 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
170882(total number of IP addresses tested, including 192 at SDSC)
167453(union of most IP zones)
153871zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
148676l2.apews.org
123396cbl.abuseat.org
123270zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
116197hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
115913b.barracudacentral.org
108139dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
107070dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
105236dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
104025dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
92527zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
80601dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
75575psbl.surriel.com
60220hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
57115ubl.unsubscore.com
45161no-more-funn.moensted.dk (union of all results)
44584blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (union of all results)
43586dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
41805bl.spamcop.net
40575blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
30719no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.3 = dialup)
28784zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
26855db.wpbl.info
21947ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
16947mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
15162spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
12752no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
11604korea.services.net
11056dnsbl.inps.de
8868bl.spamcannibal.org
8655tr.countries.nerd.dk
7864hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
6064ips.backscatterer.org
3761spamsources.fabel.dk
3564list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
3106hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2896blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
2524dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
2249dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
1718hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
1354hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1120hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
1100blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.4 = unconfirmed opt-in)
1055t1.dnsbl.net.au
1042no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.10 = open proxy)
959rmst.dnsbl.net.au
888aspews.ext.sorbs.net
590no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
545l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
441l1.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
361dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
323query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
195accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
184zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
155dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
150dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
148iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
125dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
124dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
114no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.7 = spam haven)
110tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
110tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
108iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
80bl.deadbeef.com
55dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
48zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.5 = time-expired NJABL open proxy)
45dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
31dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
26spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
22spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
13blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.12 = spam-friendly freemail provider)
10multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
9multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
9multi.surbl.org
6hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
4dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
3rdts.dnsbl.net.au
3spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.8 = open proxy)
3blackholes.brainerd.net
2dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
2dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
1multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
1spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.3 = spam source)

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
170882(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 192 at SDSC)
101894hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
93104hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
82113(union of most domain zones)
75452l1.apews.org
64256abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
31820dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
28721whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
16810whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
11911whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
9303hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
4064webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
3476hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
868hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
730adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
627rhsbl.ahbl.org
334hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
245hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
123hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
82rhsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.11 = domain uses bad address space)
82rhsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
68postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
59dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
55dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
54multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
54multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
51bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
46multi.surbl.org
30bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
15bl.deadbeef.com
13hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
7porn.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
49265(total number of domains tested, including 168 at SDSC)
37544hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
13077(union of most domain zones)
6614hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
5600whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
5057whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
4479hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
4158hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
3556abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
2393hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1969l1.apews.org
1849hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
1433bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
1252postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
1112multi.surbl.org
1015multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
1001multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
951webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
628hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
543whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
401dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
330dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
290adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
201hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
173dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
160porn.rhs.mailpolice.com
104rhsbl.ahbl.org
85bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
50hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
23rhsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.11 = domain uses bad address space)
23rhsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
14ex.dnsbl.org
12multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
2multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
2fraud.rhs.mailpolice.com
1bl.deadbeef.com

This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 9 July 2009.