Blacklists Compared

10 March 2012

[ 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
56796(total number of IP addresses tested, including 179 at SDSC)
54101(union of most IP zones)
44992b.barracudacentral.org
44758l2.apews.org
43989zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
42514zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
42514cbl.abuseat.org
40892ip.v4bl.org
35514bl.tiopan.com
28825zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
28409hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
27958dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
27059all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
25778hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
23913dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
23278dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
22560spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
20398dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
19629bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
18344bl.spameatingmonkey.net
16940ubl.unsubscore.com
15271all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
14367blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (union of all results)
13108truncate.gbudb.net
11884all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
11782dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
9699dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
8907bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
7744bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
7420bl.spamcop.net
7190dnsbl.inps.de
6582blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
6427blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
6350psbl.surriel.com
6313zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
6154bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
6111list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
5530db.wpbl.info
3649wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
3318bl.score.senderscore.com
3069ips.backscatterer.org
2854hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
2726ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
2647hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2621hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2374wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
1616hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1473korea.services.net
1351blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.4 = unconfirmed opt-in)
1330bl.spamcannibal.org
1272wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
1037spamsources.fabel.dk
698mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
675accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
665zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
606query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
593dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
507zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
368dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
328tr.countries.nerd.dk
312dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
287l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
279l1.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
258aspews.ext.sorbs.net
228dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
217iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
164hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
158zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
152dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
108iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
88dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
88dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
88dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
64dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
55tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
53tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
35dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
24dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
21dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
20hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
14swl.spamhaus.org (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
12dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
7multi.surbl.org
7blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.12 = spam-friendly freemail provider)
6swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.103 = sends transactions - temporary listing) (not a blacklist!)
6bl.deadbeef.com
5dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
5swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.3 = sends transactions) (not a blacklist!)
3swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.2 = sends individual mail) (not a blacklist!)
3wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
2tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
1wadb.isipp.com
1multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
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
56796(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 179 at SDSC)
28678hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
23885hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
18447(union of most domain zones)
14723abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
12056l1.apews.org
7436whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
6381whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
2900hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2705hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1057whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
495hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
413dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
413dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
326urired.spameatingmonkey.net
282hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
226hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
195hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
63hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
40multi.surbl.org
37postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
26bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
17rhsbl.ahbl.org
12hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
10fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
10dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
8multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
8multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
2dsn.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
21987(total number of domains tested, including 153 at SDSC)
17652hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
4392(union of most domain zones)
3500hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
1888hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1708hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1365whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
1253whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
1172abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
904hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
894dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
893dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
670hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
636multi.surbl.org
608postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
585urired.spameatingmonkey.net
437l1.apews.org
417bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
412multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
402multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
282hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
210dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
191fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
163dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
112whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
16rhsbl.ahbl.org
15hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
14hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
10hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
7multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
7ex.dnsbl.org
3multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
3hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.3 = MTA somtimes sends QUIT)
1dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.3 = domain redirects to spammer)
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 12 March 2012.