Blacklists Compared

15 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
36989(total number of IP addresses tested, including 169 at SDSC)
33334(union of most IP zones)
25859ip.v4bl.org
24736l2.apews.org
24128zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
23251b.barracudacentral.org
23032cbl.abuseat.org
23028zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
21424bl.tiopan.com
18543hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
18083hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
15085dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
14886bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
14380zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
12641ubl.unsubscore.com
12131bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.12 = bad reputation)
11778psbl.surriel.com
11673dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
11481dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
11311all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
9879wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
8890spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
8457bl.spameatingmonkey.net
7772dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
6491dnsbl.inps.de
6453list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
6235wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
5713all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
5268all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
4918truncate.gbudb.net
4279dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
4054db.wpbl.info
3791dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
3547bl.spamcop.net
3021hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2684wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
2628zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
2628hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2455bl.score.senderscore.com
2158bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
2055bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
2031ips.backscatterer.org
1925ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
1849hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
1575zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
1534hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1198zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
1175bl.spamcannibal.org
889mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
799tr.countries.nerd.dk
750accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
716wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
674spamsources.fabel.dk
644all.s5h.net
630query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
526korea.services.net
377zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
363all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.38 = spam source)
277iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
277l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
270aspews.ext.sorbs.net
249wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.20 = excellent reputation) (not a blacklist!)
237bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
219dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
192hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
178dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
153dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
110iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
99dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
49dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
49dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
49dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
39tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
34tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
29dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
25dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
21dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
20dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
17dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
12hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
5tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
4multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
4multi.surbl.org
4multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
3dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
3spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
2dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
2spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
1swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.2 = sends individual mail) (not a blacklist!)
1spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.9 = abused DNS server)
1swl.spamhaus.org (union of all results) (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
36989(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 169 at SDSC)
20297hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
16867hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
11557(union of most domain zones)
9137abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
6795l1.apews.org
4186whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
3501whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
2784hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2594hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
686whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
538hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
488dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
488dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
299hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
285hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
138hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
114bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
83hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
63urired.spameatingmonkey.net
29rhsbl.ahbl.org
28dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
24fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
21multi.surbl.org
19multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
19multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
18postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
8hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
3dsn.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
22297(total number of domains tested, including 114 at SDSC)
19375hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
7562(union of most domain zones)
3899hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
3180hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
3004dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
3003dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
2574whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
2458whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
1889multi.surbl.org
1866hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1659hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1413multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
1400multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
1272hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
1198abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
651l1.apews.org
623urired.spameatingmonkey.net
607postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
353dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
301bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
270hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
224fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
183dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
116whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
27hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
24hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
21rhsbl.ahbl.org
17hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
13multi.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)
1dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.3 = domain redirects to spammer)
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 17 September 2012.