Blacklists Compared

3 December 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
48120(total number of IP addresses tested, including 167 at SDSC)
44902(union of most IP zones)
35815l2.apews.org
35642b.barracudacentral.org
34251zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
32186cbl.abuseat.org
32183zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
29011ip.v4bl.org
23335hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
22404dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
21492dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
21425zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
21412spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
19946dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
19695dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
19688bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
17949bl.tiopan.com
16720truncate.gbudb.net
15850hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
15638dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
14806bl.spameatingmonkey.net
14232blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (union of all results)
13300ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
12598psbl.surriel.com
10299bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
8628bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
8037dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
6328list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
6292blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
6246bl.spamcop.net
6200blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
5493ubl.unsubscore.com
4933db.wpbl.info
4933hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
4916zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
4188no-more-funn.moensted.dk (union of all results)
4115wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
4113dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
3159bl.score.senderscore.com
2718hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2668wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
2660dnsbl.inps.de
2623ips.backscatterer.org
2573hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2352bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
2147no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
1810hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1746no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.3 = dialup)
1726blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.4 = unconfirmed opt-in)
1440wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
1384korea.services.net
1106bl.spamcannibal.org
1017spamsources.fabel.dk
846mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
711accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
669query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
607zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
494zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
369dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
307aspews.ext.sorbs.net
300dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
274l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
258dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
241tr.countries.nerd.dk
222iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
192hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
164dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
142no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
126iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
113zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
96no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.10 = open proxy)
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)
79no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.7 = spam haven)
68dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
56spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
55spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.9 = abused DNS server)
45l1.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
42dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
36hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
27dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
26dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
21swl.spamhaus.org (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
21tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
20tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
14blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.12 = spam-friendly freemail provider)
10multi.surbl.org
9swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.3 = sends transactions) (not a blacklist!)
7wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
6dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
6swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.103 = sends transactions - temporary listing) (not a blacklist!)
6swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.2 = sends individual mail) (not a blacklist!)
6bl.deadbeef.com
3dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
1zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.5 = time-expired NJABL open proxy)
1multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
1tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
1spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.3 = spam source)
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
48120(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 167 at SDSC)
26236hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
20990hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
17081(union of most domain zones)
13368abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
10895l1.apews.org
6624whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
5629whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
3784hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2807hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
996whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
428hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
400hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
328dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
328dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
250hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
223hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
191urired.spameatingmonkey.net
129hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
49rhsbl.ahbl.org
36postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
29bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
26multi.surbl.org
19multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
19fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
19multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
14hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
9dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
5dsn.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
19466(total number of domains tested, including 146 at SDSC)
16198hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
5332(union of most domain zones)
3928hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
2135hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2086whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
1974hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1959whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
1449abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
866dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
866dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
757hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
741hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
703postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
588l1.apews.org
520multi.surbl.org
504multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
492multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
444urired.spameatingmonkey.net
430bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
338hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
225dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
127whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
89fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
43dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
24rhsbl.ahbl.org
14hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
14hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
11multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
10hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
8ex.dnsbl.org
3hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.3 = MTA somtimes sends QUIT)
2bl.deadbeef.com
1multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 5 December 2011.