Blacklists Compared

28 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
58929(total number of IP addresses tested, including 165 at SDSC)
55376(union of most IP zones)
47627b.barracudacentral.org
46808l2.apews.org
46380zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
45869ip.v4bl.org
43559zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
43559cbl.abuseat.org
41324bl.tiopan.com
37781bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
32457zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
32434dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
31015hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
30883hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
28985bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.12 = bad reputation)
27091dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
26346dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
22337all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
20956psbl.surriel.com
20521bl.spameatingmonkey.net
14491dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
14212spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
12379all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
12316ubl.unsubscore.com
11997truncate.gbudb.net
9790all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
9373wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
9339dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
6859bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
6854bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
6321list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
6219dnsbl.inps.de
6065bl.spamcop.net
5869wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
5840zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
5739dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
5731db.wpbl.info
4174bl.score.senderscore.com
3554ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
2956hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2764wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
2639hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2600tr.countries.nerd.dk
2320ips.backscatterer.org
1719mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
1667hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1145bl.spamcannibal.org
1035spamsources.fabel.dk
941zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
783bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
732accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
600query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
493zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
475wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
448zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
411dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
408korea.services.net
376all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.38 = spam source)
363dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
359hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
303l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
268wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.20 = excellent reputation) (not a blacklist!)
260aspews.ext.sorbs.net
246iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
231all.s5h.net
194hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
150dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
96dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
75dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
75dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
75dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
61dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
35tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
34tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
31dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
26dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
23dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
22dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
9iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
7hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
6dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
6multi.surbl.org
6swl.spamhaus.org (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
4swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.2 = sends individual mail) (not a blacklist!)
4spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
3spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
2swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.103 = sends transactions - temporary listing) (not a blacklist!)
1tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
1dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
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
58929(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 165 at SDSC)
30429hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
24268hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
19674(union of most domain zones)
16999abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
13773l1.apews.org
7241whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
5942whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
3905hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2930hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1299whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
443dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
443dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
427hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
322hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
182urired.spameatingmonkey.net
115hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
96hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
40bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
29hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
25postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
21multi.surbl.org
20multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
20dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
20multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
19rhsbl.ahbl.org
5dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
5hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
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
49806(total number of domains tested, including 115 at SDSC)
40731hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
9512(union of most domain zones)
6239hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
4708whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
4580whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
4027hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
2212hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1952hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1760dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
1760dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
1603hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
1489abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
1009multi.surbl.org
1000multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
987multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
953bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
743postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
525l1.apews.org
425urired.spameatingmonkey.net
227dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
199hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
196hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
175dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
128whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
22rhsbl.ahbl.org
17hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
17hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
11multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
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)
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 31 July 2012.