Blacklists Compared

1 December 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, l2.apews.org, and ip.v4bl.org zones are also excluded from the union.

HitsDNS Zone
37603(total number of IP addresses tested, including 144 at SDSC)
32470(union of most IP zones)
24532l2.apews.org
24054b.barracudacentral.org
23902zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
23139ip.v4bl.org
22421cbl.abuseat.org
22418zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
21693bl.tiopan.com
18575hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
18208hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
15435dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
15117bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
14887zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
13320bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.12 = bad reputation)
12267psbl.surriel.com
11088wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
10787dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
9994ubl.unsubscore.com
9445dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
8972all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
8307dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
7498spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
7352dnsbl.inps.de
7289bl.spameatingmonkey.net
7034list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
6753wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
6221db.wpbl.info
5593dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
4456all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
4194truncate.gbudb.net
4192all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
3367wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
3226bl.score.senderscore.com
3112dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
2985free.v4bl.org
2891hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2815hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2535bl.spamcop.net
1901ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
1854zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
1844ips.backscatterer.org
1736hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1499bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
1480all.s5h.net
1332bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
1285zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
1204bl.spamcannibal.org
1160hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
933zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
839spamsources.fabel.dk
827accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
708query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
675mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
645wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
591korea.services.net
412tr.countries.nerd.dk
352zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
343all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.38 = spam source)
323wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.20 = excellent reputation) (not a blacklist!)
314l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
258aspews.ext.sorbs.net
257iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
154dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
133dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
129iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
128hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
116dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
89dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
71bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
36tor.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.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
19dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
18dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
18dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
18dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
11multi.surbl.org
9dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
9dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
2tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
2spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
1wadb.isipp.com
1dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
1swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.103 = sends transactions - temporary listing) (not a blacklist!)
1spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
1spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.9 = abused DNS server)
1hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
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
37603(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 144 at SDSC)
19465hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
15956hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
5228l1.apews.org
2845hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2303hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1478(union of most domain zones)
459hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
413hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
397dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
397dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
205hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
152urired.spameatingmonkey.net
144hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
65hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
60multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
60multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
39multi.surbl.org
28rhsbl.ahbl.org
27fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
19dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
8hostkarma.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
27581(total number of domains tested, including 87 at SDSC)
23933hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
4043(union of most domain zones)
3972hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
2974hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
2293dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
2291dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
2090hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1937hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1427multi.surbl.org
1417hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
1336multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
1319multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
747urired.spameatingmonkey.net
687dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
640fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
510l1.apews.org
297hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
20rhsbl.ahbl.org
16multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
13hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
11hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
10hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
6ex.dnsbl.org
2dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.3 = domain redirects to spammer)
1multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
1hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.3 = MTA somtimes sends QUIT)
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 2 December 2012.