Blacklists Compared

3 October 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
162650(total number of IP addresses tested, including 205 at SDSC)
158800(union of most IP zones)
149429b.barracudacentral.org
146591zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
139685l2.apews.org
116225cbl.abuseat.org
116059zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
113415bl.spameatingmonkey.net
108585hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
100769dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
100549dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
98857dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
98147dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
96503zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
91686psbl.surriel.com
73742ubl.unsubscore.com
73227dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
48888hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
45022blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (union of all results)
41759blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
39571no-more-funn.moensted.dk (union of all results)
37210dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
34974bl.spamcop.net
31510db.wpbl.info
26198no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.3 = dialup)
23803zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
18809ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
16837spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
14030mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
10794no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
10180dnsbl.inps.de
9117korea.services.net
8845hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
7741bl.spamcannibal.org
4632spamsources.fabel.dk
3655list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
3019ips.backscatterer.org
2823tr.countries.nerd.dk
2771hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2518dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
2327blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
2174hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
1975dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
1722no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.10 = open proxy)
1400hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
921blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.4 = unconfirmed opt-in)
899no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
650aspews.ext.sorbs.net
568zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
536accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
424query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
406zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
405dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
358dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
316l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
185dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
162zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
148l1.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
148dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
138dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
135iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
110tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
109tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
90iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
84no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.7 = spam haven)
73hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
47bl.deadbeef.com
42dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
41dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
36dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
16zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.5 = time-expired NJABL open proxy)
15blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.12 = spam-friendly freemail provider)
12dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
8spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
6spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
6multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
4multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
4dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
4hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
3multi.surbl.org
2multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
2dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
2spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.8 = open proxy)
2blackholes.brainerd.net
1tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
1dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.127 = misc)
1dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.20 = blog/wiki/comment 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
162650(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 205 at SDSC)
94489hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
84607hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
78694(union of most domain zones)
69237l1.apews.org
63078abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
31967dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
27132whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
18300whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
9411hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
8832whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
3892webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
3053hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1144urired.spameatingmonkey.net
776adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
743hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
691hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
284hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
233hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
147rhsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.11 = domain uses bad address space)
147rhsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
129hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
70postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
51multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
50multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
39bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
37dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
31dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
30rhsbl.ahbl.org
28multi.surbl.org
28fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
27bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
10hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
9porn.rhs.mailpolice.com
6bl.deadbeef.com
1multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)

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
62183(total number of domains tested, including 197 at SDSC)
57433hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
16221(union of most domain zones)
7905hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
5961whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
5312whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
5134hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
4274abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
3884urired.spameatingmonkey.net
2796l1.apews.org
2495hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1684hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
1320postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
1313bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
1224multi.surbl.org
1192multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
1180multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
817webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
725hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
649whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
498hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
486dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
401dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
292adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
206porn.rhs.mailpolice.com
78bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
47fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
40hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
40hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
38dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
26hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
23rhsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.11 = domain uses bad address space)
23rhsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
21rhsbl.ahbl.org
14ex.dnsbl.org
10multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
2multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
1fraud.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 8 October 2009.