Blacklists Compared

8 September 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
35604(total number of IP addresses tested, including 160 at SDSC)
32185(union of most IP zones)
24990ip.v4bl.org
24200l2.apews.org
23140b.barracudacentral.org
23097zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
21782cbl.abuseat.org
21780zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
21244bl.tiopan.com
17876hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
17646hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
16627bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
14861dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
14540zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
14348bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.12 = bad reputation)
11895psbl.surriel.com
11748dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
11187dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
10811all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
9953wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
9047bl.spameatingmonkey.net
9013spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
7939ubl.unsubscore.com
7457dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
6223list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
6061wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
5670dnsbl.inps.de
5503all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
5027all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
4532truncate.gbudb.net
4444dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
4087db.wpbl.info
3359bl.spamcop.net
3239dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
2906hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2869wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
2791bl.score.senderscore.com
2684hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2401zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
2188all.s5h.net
2036ips.backscatterer.org
1970ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
1929bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
1702bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
1362hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1259zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
1245hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
995mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
964bl.spamcannibal.org
854tr.countries.nerd.dk
843zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
782accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
780spamsources.fabel.dk
682wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
661query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
625korea.services.net
416zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
341wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.20 = excellent reputation) (not a blacklist!)
332all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.38 = spam source)
254l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
242iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
233aspews.ext.sorbs.net
225dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
201bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
195hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
169dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
141dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
105dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
93dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
72iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
44tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
43tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
35dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
35dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
35dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
29dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
27dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
25dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
23dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
8multi.surbl.org
7hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
6dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
3multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
3multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
3swl.spamhaus.org (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
2swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.2 = sends individual mail) (not a blacklist!)
2dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
1tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
1swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.103 = sends transactions - temporary listing) (not a blacklist!)
1spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.9 = abused DNS server)
1spamguard.leadmon.net (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
35604(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 160 at SDSC)
18585hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
15483hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
10395(union of most domain zones)
8211abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
5868l1.apews.org
3667whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
3004whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
2779hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2110hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
663whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
458dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
458dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
417hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
291hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
212hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
112bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
93hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
72hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
53rhsbl.ahbl.org
45urired.spameatingmonkey.net
41postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
22multi.surbl.org
20dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
18multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
18multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
5fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
4hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
2dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
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
26411(total number of domains tested, including 106 at SDSC)
23217hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
7955(union of most domain zones)
3812hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
3186whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
3063whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
2925hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
2657dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
2656dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
1945hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1811hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1554multi.surbl.org
1335hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
1281abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
1172multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
1156multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
657postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
638urired.spameatingmonkey.net
503l1.apews.org
361bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
274dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
267hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
171dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
157fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
123whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
19hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
18hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
18hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
15multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
15rhsbl.ahbl.org
6ex.dnsbl.org
3hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.3 = MTA somtimes sends QUIT)
1multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
1dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.3 = domain redirects to spammer)
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 9 September 2012.