Blacklists Compared

19 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
45273(total number of IP addresses tested, including 147 at SDSC)
40676(union of most IP zones)
32821b.barracudacentral.org
31979zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
31395l2.apews.org
30815cbl.abuseat.org
30810zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
28610ip.v4bl.org
28192bl.tiopan.com
24132bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
23344hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
20395zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
19303dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
18431bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.12 = bad reputation)
16912spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
16707ubl.unsubscore.com
16472hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
15150dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
14408dnsbl.inps.de
13825psbl.surriel.com
13493dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
12989all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
12943db.wpbl.info
12391dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
10273bl.spameatingmonkey.net
7902wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
7517dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
6855all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
6802list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
5805all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
5285truncate.gbudb.net
5277wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
4656dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
4644bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
4557free.v4bl.org
4128bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
3398bl.spamcop.net
2951hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
2901hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2779zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
2500hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2427ips.backscatterer.org
2275wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
2255ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
1818hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1755bl.score.senderscore.com
1627dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
1377zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
1237bl.spamcannibal.org
1097all.s5h.net
874spamsources.fabel.dk
747accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
735zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
715korea.services.net
642zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
610query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
476tr.countries.nerd.dk
372all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.38 = spam source)
283mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
277l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
226bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
226iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
217wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
171dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
153dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
152hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
134wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.20 = excellent reputation) (not a blacklist!)
124dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
122dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
83iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
47tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
46tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
28dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
20dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
20dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
20dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
19dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
16dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
15dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
13spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
11spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.9 = abused DNS server)
10hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
8dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
4multi.surbl.org
2spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
1tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
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
45273(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 147 at SDSC)
21505hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
16500hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
6091l1.apews.org
2721hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2665hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2447(union of most domain zones)
888hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
707hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
622dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
622dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
377hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
210hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
183urired.spameatingmonkey.net
111hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
50multi.surbl.org
46fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
43dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
25rhsbl.ahbl.org
24multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
24hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
24multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
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
27756(total number of domains tested, including 94 at SDSC)
24752hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
3960hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
3932(union of most domain zones)
3003hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
2560dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
2555dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
2089multi.surbl.org
1901hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1886hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1453hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
1383multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
1367multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
917urired.spameatingmonkey.net
643l1.apews.org
383dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
281fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
277hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
65hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
25hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
24rhsbl.ahbl.org
16multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
14hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
5ex.dnsbl.org
5dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.3 = domain redirects to spammer)
3hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.3 = MTA somtimes sends QUIT)
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 21 January 2013.