Blacklists Compared

12 January 2013

[ 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
39098(total number of IP addresses tested, including 145 at SDSC)
34331(union of most IP zones)
26529b.barracudacentral.org
25870l2.apews.org
25295zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
24322zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
24322cbl.abuseat.org
24000ip.v4bl.org
22948bl.tiopan.com
19822hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
18638dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
18079bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
17762hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
15828zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
15385spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
14249bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.12 = bad reputation)
13593ubl.unsubscore.com
12002dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
11889psbl.surriel.com
11592db.wpbl.info
10895dnsbl.inps.de
10793dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
10785dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
9945all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
8424bl.spameatingmonkey.net
7797wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
6932list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
6287dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
5236wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
4933all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
4694all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
4602bl.spamcop.net
4530truncate.gbudb.net
4367free.v4bl.org
3404dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
3180ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
3137hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2813dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
2764hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
2760bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
2565ips.backscatterer.org
2514bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
2455hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2215wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
2130bl.score.senderscore.com
2116zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
1792hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1246bl.spamcannibal.org
1191zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
969spamsources.fabel.dk
967all.s5h.net
758zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
736accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
580query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
490korea.services.net
433zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
371tr.countries.nerd.dk
356all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.38 = spam source)
297bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
286l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
241mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
229iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
222wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
163dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
156hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
143dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
124wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.20 = excellent reputation) (not a blacklist!)
123dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
95iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
94dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
52tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
51tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
27dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
22dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
21dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
19dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
17dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
17dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
17dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
17spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.9 = abused DNS server)
17spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
12hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
11multi.surbl.org
2dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
1wadb.isipp.com
1tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
1dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
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
39098(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 145 at SDSC)
19405hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
15521hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
5066l1.apews.org
2539hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2464hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1584(union of most domain zones)
578hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
487dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
487dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
330hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
307hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
195hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
132urired.spameatingmonkey.net
130hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
54fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
53multi.surbl.org
51dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
48multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
47multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
33hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
23rhsbl.ahbl.org
1multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
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
27666(total number of domains tested, including 92 at SDSC)
24530hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
3998hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
3533(union of most domain zones)
2507hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
2342dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
2339dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
1926hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1918hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1836multi.surbl.org
1335multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
1327hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
1322multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
809urired.spameatingmonkey.net
649l1.apews.org
535dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
521fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
294hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
62hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
32hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
22hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
22rhsbl.ahbl.org
13multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
9ex.dnsbl.org
3hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.3 = MTA somtimes sends QUIT)
3dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.3 = domain redirects to spammer)
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 14 January 2013.