Blacklists Compared

28 April 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
46825(total number of IP addresses tested, including 196 at SDSC)
43051(union of most IP zones)
34824b.barracudacentral.org
34784l2.apews.org
33774zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
33242ip.v4bl.org
32387zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
32380cbl.abuseat.org
25918bl.tiopan.com
24360hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
22213zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
20974dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
17263all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
16902dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
16734dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
16207hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
16162spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
15310psbl.surriel.com
15227bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
13847dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
10519bl.spameatingmonkey.net
9779all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
7989dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
7535all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
7387dnsbl.inps.de
7151bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
6636truncate.gbudb.net
6498dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
6154list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
5808bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
5391ubl.unsubscore.com
5074bl.spamcop.net
5028db.wpbl.info
4951bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
4359hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
3433wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
3420zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
3032bl.score.senderscore.com
2815ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
2760ips.backscatterer.org
2690hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2376hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2224wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
1743hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1479korea.services.net
1361bl.spamcannibal.org
1209wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
888spamsources.fabel.dk
881zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
739accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
721mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
632zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
628query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
535dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
364tr.countries.nerd.dk
331l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
278dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
249zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
245aspews.ext.sorbs.net
241dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
225dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
222iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
188hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
179dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
130iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
51dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
43dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
43dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
43dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
42tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
41tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
36dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
18swl.spamhaus.org (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
17dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
15dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
14multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
14multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
12multi.surbl.org
11dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
8swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.3 = sends transactions) (not a blacklist!)
6swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.103 = sends transactions - temporary listing) (not a blacklist!)
4swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.2 = sends individual mail) (not a blacklist!)
3dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
3hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
3bl.deadbeef.com
1tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
1spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
1spamguard.leadmon.net (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
46825(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 196 at SDSC)
24634hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
19776hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
15165(union of most domain zones)
11949abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
9043l1.apews.org
6171whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
5326whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
3013hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2737hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
845whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
398hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
282dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
282dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
211hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
200hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
196urired.spameatingmonkey.net
180hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
67hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
41postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
39rhsbl.ahbl.org
34multi.surbl.org
27bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
17fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
13dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
11hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
8multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
8multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
1dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
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
19844(total number of domains tested, including 164 at SDSC)
16109hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
5587(union of most domain zones)
3848hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
2063hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1960hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1936whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
1803whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
1426abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
1393dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
1393dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
1326hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
1138hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
1071multi.surbl.org
927urired.spameatingmonkey.net
738multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
724multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
672postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
589l1.apews.org
353bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
273hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
207dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
133whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
103fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
96dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
23rhsbl.ahbl.org
18hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
18hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
13multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
10hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
6ex.dnsbl.org
3hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.3 = MTA somtimes sends QUIT)
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 30 April 2012.