Blacklists Compared

26 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
42957(total number of IP addresses tested, including 180 at SDSC)
39112(union of most IP zones)
31018l2.apews.org
30528b.barracudacentral.org
29708zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
29700ip.v4bl.org
28217cbl.abuseat.org
28212zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
24259bl.tiopan.com
19457zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
17753hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
15360dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
15115hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
14906all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
13651dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
13301spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
13246dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
11392dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
10907ubl.unsubscore.com
10534psbl.surriel.com
9892bl.spameatingmonkey.net
8637all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
7374bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
7373bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
7372bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
6887dnsbl.inps.de
6385list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
6033dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
6002dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
5813all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
4566bl.spamcop.net
4213truncate.gbudb.net
3576db.wpbl.info
3399wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
3108zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
2887hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2553ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
2533ips.backscatterer.org
2438hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2239hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
2232wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
1542bl.score.senderscore.com
1448hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1174bl.spamcannibal.org
1166wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
1088korea.services.net
756spamsources.fabel.dk
750zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
709accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
585query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
530zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
509all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.38 = spam source)
336tr.countries.nerd.dk
316aspews.ext.sorbs.net
315mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
313l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
264dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
224iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
221dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
220zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
207dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
185hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
174dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
60all.s5h.net
54iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
40dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
36dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
33tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
31dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
31dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
31dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
30tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
27dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
17dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
13hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
13swl.spamhaus.org (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
11dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
10multi.surbl.org
9dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
6swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.3 = sends transactions) (not a blacklist!)
5bl.deadbeef.com
4multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
4swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.2 = sends individual mail) (not a blacklist!)
4multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
4spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
3dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
3tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
3swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.103 = sends transactions - temporary listing) (not a blacklist!)
2spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.9 = abused DNS server)
1wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
1dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.5 = open relay)
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
42957(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 180 at SDSC)
24679hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
20084hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
15712(union of most domain zones)
12352abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
9811l1.apews.org
6245whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
5146whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
3239hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2932hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1100whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
464hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
414dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
414dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
340hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
270urired.spameatingmonkey.net
268hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
115hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
48hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
41postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
39multi.surbl.org
37rhsbl.ahbl.org
29bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
16hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
15multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
15multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
5fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
3dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
1dsn.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
24245(total number of domains tested, including 144 at SDSC)
20839hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
6253(union of most domain zones)
3621hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
2222hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2166whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
2037whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
1949hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1880dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
1880dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
1647hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
1330urired.spameatingmonkey.net
1302abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
1174multi.surbl.org
1123hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
758multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
742multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
642postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
461l1.apews.org
396bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
276hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
206dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
129whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
38fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
18rhsbl.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)
12hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
12hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
7ex.dnsbl.org
5dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
3hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.3 = MTA somtimes sends QUIT)
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 30 May 2012.