Blacklists Compared

5 May 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
46656(total number of IP addresses tested, including 208 at SDSC)
42597(union of most IP zones)
34241l2.apews.org
33719b.barracudacentral.org
33480zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
32530ip.v4bl.org
32226cbl.abuseat.org
32225zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
25865bl.tiopan.com
22612hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
22460zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
19683dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
16949hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
16881dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
16766all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
16591dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
15311spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
15093bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
13460psbl.surriel.com
12893dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
10074bl.spameatingmonkey.net
9376all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
7803bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
7542dnsbl.inps.de
7481dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
7441all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
6483list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
6093dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
5509truncate.gbudb.net
5356bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
5253bl.spamcop.net
4613bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
4463db.wpbl.info
4110ubl.unsubscore.com
4062hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
3488wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
3394zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
2758ips.backscatterer.org
2748hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2708ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
2651hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2649bl.score.senderscore.com
2293wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
1671hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1523korea.services.net
1255bl.spamcannibal.org
1219spamsources.fabel.dk
1195wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
727accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
651mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
651zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
609query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
516zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
368tr.countries.nerd.dk
319l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
288dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
259aspews.ext.sorbs.net
250iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
245dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
235dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
193hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
180dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
179dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
135zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
45dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
45dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
45dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
44dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
44tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
43tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
41dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
26multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
25multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
25dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
17dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
13multi.surbl.org
12swl.spamhaus.org (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
9dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
8bl.deadbeef.com
6swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.3 = sends transactions) (not a blacklist!)
6iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
4swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.103 = sends transactions - temporary listing) (not a blacklist!)
2swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.2 = sends individual mail) (not a blacklist!)
1multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
1dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
1tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
1spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.3 = spam source)
1hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
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
46656(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 208 at SDSC)
24285hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
19440hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
14992(union of most domain zones)
11786abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
8676l1.apews.org
5851whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
5021whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
3055hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2777hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
831whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
407hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
296hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
286dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
285dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
231hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
226urired.spameatingmonkey.net
122hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
79hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
48postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
41rhsbl.ahbl.org
38bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
25multi.surbl.org
9fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
9dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
7hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
5multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
5multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
2dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
1bl.deadbeef.com
1dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.3 = domain redirects to spammer)
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
21032(total number of domains tested, including 180 at SDSC)
17936hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
5462(union of most domain zones)
4022hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
2268hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2080hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1878whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
1740whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
1374abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
1367dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
1367dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
1299hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
1057multi.surbl.org
935urired.spameatingmonkey.net
813multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
797multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
746hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
692postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
514l1.apews.org
346bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
286hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
217dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
138whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
78fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
63dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
29rhsbl.ahbl.org
17hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
16multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
10hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
7hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
7ex.dnsbl.org
3hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.3 = MTA somtimes sends QUIT)
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 7 May 2012.