Blacklists Compared

12 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
43857(total number of IP addresses tested, including 174 at SDSC)
39986(union of most IP zones)
32033l2.apews.org
31881b.barracudacentral.org
30988zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
30922ip.v4bl.org
29901zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
29899cbl.abuseat.org
24392bl.tiopan.com
21577hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
20152zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
19406dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
16461all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
15846hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
15625dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
15147dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
15052spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
13893bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
13320dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
12048psbl.surriel.com
10682bl.spameatingmonkey.net
9181all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
7344dnsbl.inps.de
7118dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
6850bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
6753all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
6533truncate.gbudb.net
6278list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
6110dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
5304bl.spamcop.net
4989db.wpbl.info
4890bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
4351bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
3907hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
3410wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
3291zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
3086ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
3014hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2733ips.backscatterer.org
2502ubl.unsubscore.com
2499bl.score.senderscore.com
2432hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2254wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
1449hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1288korea.services.net
1190dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
1152wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
1123bl.spamcannibal.org
967zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
791spamsources.fabel.dk
758accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
642query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
620mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
598all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.38 = spam source)
499zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
468zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
356tr.countries.nerd.dk
337l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
263dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
261aspews.ext.sorbs.net
242dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
231iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
213dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
192dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
185hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
102all.s5h.net
74iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
42dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
39multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
38multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
37dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
37dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
37dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
27dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
23dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
22tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
22tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
15dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
12multi.surbl.org
11swl.spamhaus.org (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
8dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
7swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.3 = sends transactions) (not a blacklist!)
6bl.deadbeef.com
5spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
4dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
4wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
4spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.9 = abused DNS server)
3swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.103 = sends transactions - temporary listing) (not a blacklist!)
3hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
1multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
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)
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
43857(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 174 at SDSC)
23733hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
19187hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
14455(union of most domain zones)
11487abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
8609l1.apews.org
5493whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
4637whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
3111hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2981hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
857whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
421hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
342dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
341dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
262hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
204hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
193urired.spameatingmonkey.net
148hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
95hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
34bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
25multi.surbl.org
23postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
23rhsbl.ahbl.org
16fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
14multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
14multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
13hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
13dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
3dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
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
20882(total number of domains tested, including 143 at SDSC)
17927hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
6347(union of most domain zones)
3904hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
2575whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
2443whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
2242hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1954hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1575dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
1575dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
1488hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
1324abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
1177multi.surbl.org
1090urired.spameatingmonkey.net
1036multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
1015multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
917hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
677postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
497l1.apews.org
352bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
297hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
217dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
132whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
88fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
69dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
27rhsbl.ahbl.org
21hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
18hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
17multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
12hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
8ex.dnsbl.org
4multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
3hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.3 = MTA somtimes sends QUIT)
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 14 May 2012.