Blacklists Compared

30 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
51367(total number of IP addresses tested, including 181 at SDSC)
47568(union of most IP zones)
39018zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
38783b.barracudacentral.org
37870ip.v4bl.org
36073cbl.abuseat.org
36071zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
31824bl.tiopan.com
28874bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
25964zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
25230hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
22992dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
22558dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
22476dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
21772hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
20358bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.12 = bad reputation)
19244all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
15970psbl.surriel.com
14277spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
14077bl.spameatingmonkey.net
13242dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
12594ubl.unsubscore.com
10629all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
9106wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
8203all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
7837dnsbl.inps.de
7022dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
6971dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
6843bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
6327list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
5712wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
5583truncate.gbudb.net
5304bl.spamcop.net
5253bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
5218db.wpbl.info
4459zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
3544ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
3058hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2886hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
2805wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
2527hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2212ips.backscatterer.org
2037bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
1547bl.score.senderscore.com
1501tr.countries.nerd.dk
1361zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
1354hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1153bl.spamcannibal.org
942spamsources.fabel.dk
883korea.services.net
846mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
748accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
745zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
616zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
585query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
526all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.38 = spam source)
427wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
304l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
268aspews.ext.sorbs.net
263dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
235dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
212dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
205all.s5h.net
195iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
174dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
166wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.20 = excellent reputation) (not a blacklist!)
156hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
47tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
43tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
42dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
42dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
42dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
40dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
37iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
35dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
27dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
26dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
24dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
10swl.spamhaus.org (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
6hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
5swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.3 = sends transactions) (not a blacklist!)
4tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
4spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.9 = abused DNS server)
4bl.deadbeef.com
4spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
3swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.103 = sends transactions - temporary listing) (not a blacklist!)
3multi.surbl.org
3dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
2multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
2dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
2swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.2 = sends individual mail) (not a blacklist!)
2multi.uribl.com (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
51367(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 181 at SDSC)
26272hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
19958hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
16379(union of most domain zones)
13012abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
6233whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
5272whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
3655hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2898hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
961whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
465hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
459hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
443dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
443dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
283urired.spameatingmonkey.net
277hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
135hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
82hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
76rhsbl.ahbl.org
49postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
31multi.surbl.org
31bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
18multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
18multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
10fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
10dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
5hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
3dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
3bl.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
30898(total number of domains tested, including 145 at SDSC)
22323hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
7442(union of most domain zones)
3838hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
3575hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
2772whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
2646whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
2338dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
2336dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
2098hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2047hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
1929hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1373abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
1356multi.surbl.org
1227urired.spameatingmonkey.net
1012multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
993multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
712postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
607hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
492bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
332hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
190dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
126whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
92fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
80dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
38rhsbl.ahbl.org
22hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
17multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
13hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
6ex.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)
2dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.3 = domain redirects to spammer)
1bl.deadbeef.com
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 3 July 2012.