Blacklists Compared

31 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
50888(total number of IP addresses tested, including 162 at SDSC)
48046(union of most IP zones)
39158b.barracudacentral.org
38999l2.apews.org
38155zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
36811zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
36811cbl.abuseat.org
36663ip.v4bl.org
30860bl.tiopan.com
24248zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
23073all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
22905hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
22357dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
22117hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
21363bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
19563dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
18971dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
17933spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
16970dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
15095bl.spameatingmonkey.net
13867all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
13624blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (union of all results)
12557bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
9475dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
9419psbl.surriel.com
9297all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
8708ubl.unsubscore.com
8671dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
8267truncate.gbudb.net
6744bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
6472bl.spamcop.net
6255blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
6112list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
6083bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
6002blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
5807dnsbl.inps.de
5340zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
4259db.wpbl.info
3541wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
2694hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2446hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
2363hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2319bl.score.senderscore.com
2318ips.backscatterer.org
2252wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
1892ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
1542hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1515korea.services.net
1360blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.4 = unconfirmed opt-in)
1285wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
1242bl.spamcannibal.org
929spamsources.fabel.dk
726zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
683accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
628query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
592zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
566mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
432tr.countries.nerd.dk
348l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
345l1.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
320dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
261aspews.ext.sorbs.net
256dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
211dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
191iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
176hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
174dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
134zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
116dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
103iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
61tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
59tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
58dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
58dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
58dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
44dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
35dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
29dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
14dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
14swl.spamhaus.org (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
10multi.surbl.org
9dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
8swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.3 = sends transactions) (not a blacklist!)
8hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
7blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.12 = spam-friendly freemail provider)
6multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
6dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
6bl.deadbeef.com
6multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
5swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.103 = sends transactions - temporary listing) (not a blacklist!)
4wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
2tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
2spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
1swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.2 = sends individual mail) (not a blacklist!)
1spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
1spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.3 = 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
50888(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 162 at SDSC)
28464hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
22813hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
18267(union of most domain zones)
14508abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
12112l1.apews.org
7167whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
6112whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
3627hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2728hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1055whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
468hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
346dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
346dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
292hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
253urired.spameatingmonkey.net
219hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
153hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
56hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
41multi.surbl.org
33postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
21rhsbl.ahbl.org
20bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
12multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
12multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
10fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
6dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
5dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
4hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
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
22480(total number of domains tested, including 112 at SDSC)
17300hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
5246(union of most domain zones)
3537hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
2098whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
1988whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
1868hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1641hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1144abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
931hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
925dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
925dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
719urired.spameatingmonkey.net
688multi.surbl.org
602postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
558hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
448bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
431l1.apews.org
426multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
411multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
265hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
177dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
110whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
98dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
84fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
17hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
17rhsbl.ahbl.org
13multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
13hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
11hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
5ex.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 2 April 2012.