Blacklists Compared

2 June 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
42545(total number of IP addresses tested, including 268 at SDSC)
38696(union of most IP zones)
30835l2.apews.org
30298b.barracudacentral.org
29508ip.v4bl.org
29506zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
28114cbl.abuseat.org
28112zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
25135bl.tiopan.com
19515zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
19186hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
17934dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
17575hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
15525all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
14042dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
13874dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
13066spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
11800ubl.unsubscore.com
11560dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
11053psbl.surriel.com
9956bl.spameatingmonkey.net
8687all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
8477bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
8477bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
8477bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
6989dnsbl.inps.de
6447dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
6385all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
6247list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
5789truncate.gbudb.net
5780dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
4196bl.spamcop.net
4004db.wpbl.info
3284wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
3068zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
2890hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2580hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
2555ips.backscatterer.org
2419ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
2394hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2169wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
1921bl.score.senderscore.com
1461hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1137korea.services.net
1128bl.spamcannibal.org
1115wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
938zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
764spamsources.fabel.dk
728accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
606query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
503all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.38 = spam source)
499zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
439zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
398mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
371tr.countries.nerd.dk
322l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
276aspews.ext.sorbs.net
274dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
237hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
218dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
212dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
203iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
174dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
117all.s5h.net
106iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
49dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
37tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
36dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
35tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
32dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
32dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
32dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
32dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
26dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
15hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
12dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
12swl.spamhaus.org (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
6swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.3 = sends transactions) (not a blacklist!)
5dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
5bl.deadbeef.com
4dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
4multi.surbl.org
4spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
3multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
3swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.103 = sends transactions - temporary listing) (not a blacklist!)
3swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.2 = sends individual mail) (not a blacklist!)
3multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
2tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
2spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.9 = abused DNS server)
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
42545(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 268 at SDSC)
23582hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
18678hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
14408(union of most domain zones)
11419abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
8770l1.apews.org
5702whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
4787whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
3322hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2915hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
915whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
413hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
395hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
372dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
370dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
236urired.spameatingmonkey.net
219hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
155hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
62hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
40postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
35multi.surbl.org
35bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
34rhsbl.ahbl.org
15multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
15multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
13hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
5fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
5dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
5dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
2dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.3 = domain redirects to spammer)
1hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.3 = MTA somtimes sends QUIT)
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
25462(total number of domains tested, including 279 at SDSC)
21374hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
6511(union of most domain zones)
3784hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
2482whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
2345whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
2083hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2024hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1794dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
1793dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
1379hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
1301abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
1202urired.spameatingmonkey.net
1074hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
980multi.surbl.org
919multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
903multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
688postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
475l1.apews.org
427bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
357hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
206dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
137whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
24rhsbl.ahbl.org
21fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
20dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
15hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
13multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
13hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
12hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
6ex.dnsbl.org
3multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
3hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.3 = MTA somtimes sends QUIT)
1dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.3 = domain redirects to spammer)
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 4 June 2012.