Blacklists Compared

5 November 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
59773(total number of IP addresses tested, including 167 at SDSC)
56590(union of most IP zones)
47146l2.apews.org
46489zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
44553b.barracudacentral.org
44404zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
43224cbl.abuseat.org
38673hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
37624ip.v4bl.org
33688bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
30728dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
30565zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
30082dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
29677spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
26252dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
26239truncate.gbudb.net
25948dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
24785bl.tiopan.com
21347dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
20693bl.spameatingmonkey.net
20333hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
17883bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
17627blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (union of all results)
16605ubl.unsubscore.com
15964bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
14192bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
12086psbl.surriel.com
10583dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
8235blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
7805blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
6899db.wpbl.info
6638hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
6499dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
6441bl.spamcop.net
6082zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
5622list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
4337bl.score.senderscore.com
4038wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
3691ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
3646dnsbl.inps.de
3307ips.backscatterer.org
2631wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
2505hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2355hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
1858hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1690korea.services.net
1566blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.4 = unconfirmed opt-in)
1401wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
1325bl.spamcannibal.org
1174spamsources.fabel.dk
980mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
647zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
619accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
593query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
539zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
467dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
367dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
355dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
346no-more-funn.moensted.dk (union of all results)
317aspews.ext.sorbs.net
293tr.countries.nerd.dk
243dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
187iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
181no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
165no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.10 = open proxy)
128hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
108zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
107iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
97l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
93dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
93dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
93dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
84dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
57dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
43dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
35hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
28dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
27tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
26tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
26swl.spamhaus.org (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
25l1.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
20blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.12 = spam-friendly freemail provider)
18bl.deadbeef.com
12dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
10multi.surbl.org
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!)
8swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.3 = sends transactions) (not a blacklist!)
7spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
6wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
4spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.9 = abused DNS server)
2multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
2spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
2multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
1zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.5 = time-expired NJABL open proxy)
1tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
1dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
1dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.5 = open relay)
1spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.3 = spam source)
1blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.11 = TCPA violator)
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
59773(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 167 at SDSC)
30737hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
24228hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
21173(union of most domain zones)
16759abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
13828l1.apews.org
9198whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
7980whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
4472hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2762hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1218whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
332hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
278dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
278dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
254hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
183urired.spameatingmonkey.net
183hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
167hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
157hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
69rhsbl.ahbl.org
62postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
36bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
33multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
33multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
29multi.surbl.org
26fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
16hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
12dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
7dsn.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
32143(total number of domains tested, including 136 at SDSC)
27258hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
6016(union of most domain zones)
3948hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
2335whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
2211hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2203whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
2174hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1349abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
958hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
939dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
939dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
734urired.spameatingmonkey.net
719postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
704hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
647l1.apews.org
619multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
617bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
601multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
507multi.surbl.org
341hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
260dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
132whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
129fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
65dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
36hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
32rhsbl.ahbl.org
20hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
16multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
16hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
9ex.dnsbl.org
3hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.3 = MTA somtimes sends QUIT)
2multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 8 November 2011.