Blacklists Compared

4 June 2011

[ 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, iadb2.isipp.com, swl.spamhaus.org, and wl.mailspike.net zones because they are not blacklists. Because they are too aggressive to be widely useful the spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net and l2.apews.org zones are also excluded from the union.

HitsDNS Zone
53026(total number of IP addresses tested, including 154 at SDSC)
49498(union of most IP zones)
40662b.barracudacentral.org
40427l2.apews.org
39539zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
38117cbl.abuseat.org
38097zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
32609bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
32504hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
29602dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
26873zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
25074dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
24906spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
24630dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
24268bl.tiopan.com
19952bl.spameatingmonkey.net
19277truncate.gbudb.net
18127hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
17929dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
17215blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (union of all results)
16644ddnsbl.internetdefensesystems.com
16036bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
15598bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
15193psbl.surriel.com
12405dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
12376bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
9440blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
7859ubl.unsubscore.com
6820db.wpbl.info
6700bl.spamcop.net
6228blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
5707list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
5369bl.score.senderscore.com
5347dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
5139no-more-funn.moensted.dk (union of all results)
4897hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
3968wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
3590bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.12 = bad reputation)
3437zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
3250dnsbl.inps.de
3180ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
2974ips.backscatterer.org
2834hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2639no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
2464dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
2406wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
2401hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2349no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.3 = dialup)
1849korea.services.net
1550wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
1517blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.4 = unconfirmed opt-in)
1484hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1362spamsources.fabel.dk
1329bl.spamcannibal.org
1275mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
569accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
528query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
478dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
371aspews.ext.sorbs.net
360dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
299tr.countries.nerd.dk
263zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
263zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
209l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
200iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
181iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
156dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
101hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
86dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
84dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
80l1.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
79dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
79dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
79dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
71no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.10 = open proxy)
58no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
43no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.7 = spam haven)
40dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
34dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
30dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
29blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.12 = spam-friendly freemail provider)
29tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
28tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
18swl.spamhaus.org (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
12wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
9swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.103 = sends transactions - temporary listing) (not a blacklist!)
9swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.2 = sends individual mail) (not a blacklist!)
8bl.deadbeef.com
5dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
5multi.surbl.org
3spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
2zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.5 = time-expired NJABL open proxy)
2spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
1multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
1tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
1dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
1spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.3 = spam source)
1hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
1blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.11 = TCPA violator)
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
53026(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 154 at SDSC)
30231hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
24684hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
20073(union of most domain zones)
17184abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
14312l1.apews.org
6478whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
5212whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
4124hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
3119hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1268whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
426hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
302hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
194hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
161urired.spameatingmonkey.net
151hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
132dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
132dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
128hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
43postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
28bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
28hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
27multi.surbl.org
19multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
19multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
17rhsbl.ahbl.org
15fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
15dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
8dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
1bl.deadbeef.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
28016(total number of domains tested, including 121 at SDSC)
18947hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
5950(union of most domain zones)
4309hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
2904whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
2775whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
2388hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2288hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1565abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
1086hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
836postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
687l1.apews.org
568bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
507urired.spameatingmonkey.net
413hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
367dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
367dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
348hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
293dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
284multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
275multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
263multi.surbl.org
129whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
105dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
80fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
25hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
17hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
15rhsbl.ahbl.org
11hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
8multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
5ex.dnsbl.org
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)
1bl.deadbeef.com
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 6 June 2011.