Blacklists Compared

19 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
51403(total number of IP addresses tested, including 195 at SDSC)
47522(union of most IP zones)
39126l2.apews.org
38921b.barracudacentral.org
38337zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
37179ip.v4bl.org
36875cbl.abuseat.org
36870zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
30090bl.tiopan.com
25199hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
24771zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
22519dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
19717all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
18627dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
18254hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
17850dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
16556spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
15882bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
15474dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
13717psbl.surriel.com
13246bl.spameatingmonkey.net
11106all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
8491dnsbl.inps.de
8093dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
8059all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
7861dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
7430bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
6920truncate.gbudb.net
6450ubl.unsubscore.com
6276list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
5549bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
5208bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
4848bl.spamcop.net
4839db.wpbl.info
4599zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
3542hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
3352wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
2937hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2823ips.backscatterer.org
2785ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
2364hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2194wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
1853bl.score.senderscore.com
1510korea.services.net
1465hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1156bl.spamcannibal.org
1153wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
994zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
879spamsources.fabel.dk
777dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
690accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
620all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.38 = spam source)
574query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
542zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
452zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
411tr.countries.nerd.dk
374dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
368mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
352all.s5h.net
307dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
304l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
267aspews.ext.sorbs.net
253dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
203dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
199iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
158hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
81dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
81dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
81dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
45dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
38dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
32tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
32tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
22dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
20dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
17multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
17hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
17multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
12multi.surbl.org
12dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
12swl.spamhaus.org (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
10iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
7bl.deadbeef.com
6swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.3 = sends transactions) (not a blacklist!)
5wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
4dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
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!)
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
51403(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 195 at SDSC)
27705hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
22258hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
17649(union of most domain zones)
13991abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
11589l1.apews.org
7158whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
5934whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
3476hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
3089hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1224whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
480dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
480dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
460hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
279hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
266hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
260urired.spameatingmonkey.net
255hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
71hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
65multi.surbl.org
50postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
43rhsbl.ahbl.org
33bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
31multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
31multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
20dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
10hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
6fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
5dsn.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
22730(total number of domains tested, including 160 at SDSC)
18950hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
6252(union of most domain zones)
3887hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
2371whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
2342hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2232whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
2098hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1652dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
1652dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
1438hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
1418abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
1239hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
1137urired.spameatingmonkey.net
1052multi.surbl.org
865multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
843multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
718postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
518l1.apews.org
317bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
263hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
220dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
139whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
74fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
74dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
22rhsbl.ahbl.org
21hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
20multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
13hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
12hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
8ex.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 21 May 2012.