Blacklists Compared

21 July 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
45868(total number of IP addresses tested, including 167 at SDSC)
42136(union of most IP zones)
33758b.barracudacentral.org
32671zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
32255ip.v4bl.org
31135l2.apews.org
30657zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
30656cbl.abuseat.org
27638bl.tiopan.com
26111bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
24761hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
22636hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
21533dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
21156bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.12 = bad reputation)
20816zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
15075all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
14488dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
14147dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
13037dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
12434ubl.unsubscore.com
11466bl.spameatingmonkey.net
11319spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
10772psbl.surriel.com
9470wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
9149all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
8545truncate.gbudb.net
8339dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
6718bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
6340list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
6263dnsbl.inps.de
5866wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
5583all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
5276dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
4312zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
3477bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
3408db.wpbl.info
3015hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2747wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
2528hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2466bl.spamcop.net
2427ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
2060ips.backscatterer.org
1669hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1260spamsources.fabel.dk
1208bl.score.senderscore.com
1069bl.spamcannibal.org
983zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
837hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
742accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
679korea.services.net
626mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
614query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
536wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
507zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
476zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
445bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
421tr.countries.nerd.dk
393all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.38 = spam source)
326wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.20 = excellent reputation) (not a blacklist!)
312dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
291l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
262dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
251hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
227aspews.ext.sorbs.net
217iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
209all.s5h.net
166dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
107dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
97dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
60iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
50dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
50dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
50dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
32dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
30dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
27dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
23tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
22tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
20dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
9hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
5swl.spamhaus.org (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
4dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
4swl.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)
2spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.9 = abused DNS server)
2bl.deadbeef.com
2multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
2spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
1tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
1swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.2 = sends individual mail) (not a blacklist!)
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
45868(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 167 at SDSC)
28393hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
23700hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
17934(union of most domain zones)
14588abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
12788l1.apews.org
7490whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
6153whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
3842hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2905hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1337whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
453hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
411hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
399hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
371dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
371dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
150urired.spameatingmonkey.net
101hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
36bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
35postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
30hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
30rhsbl.ahbl.org
21multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
20multi.surbl.org
19multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
6dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
6dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
2multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
1hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
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
31108(total number of domains tested, including 136 at SDSC)
28588hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
6783(union of most domain zones)
3749hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
2299whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
2155whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
2039hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1952hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1550dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
1548dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
1451abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
1306hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
1163hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
998multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
981multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
961multi.surbl.org
942bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
804postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
491l1.apews.org
345hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
298urired.spameatingmonkey.net
264dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
225dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
144whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
22rhsbl.ahbl.org
14hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
13multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
9hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
8hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
7ex.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)
2dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.3 = domain redirects to spammer)
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 23 July 2012.