Blacklists Compared

2 March 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
80896(total number of IP addresses tested, including 154 at SDSC)
76440(union of most IP zones)
64507zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
63333ip.v4bl.org
63241l2.apews.org
62991b.barracudacentral.org
60022cbl.abuseat.org
60017zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
58041bl.tiopan.com
55101bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
47423dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
46160bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.12 = bad reputation)
43460hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
41914zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
36647hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
34224ubl.unsubscore.com
31878spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
29162dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
28318db.wpbl.info
27810dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
26890dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
26660bl.spameatingmonkey.net
25227all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
24860psbl.surriel.com
21449free.v4bl.org
21255dnsbl.inps.de
17244all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
17033dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
12600bl.spamcop.net
12394dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
11190truncate.gbudb.net
7894zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
7750wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
7616all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
7325bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
7059list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
6854ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
5386bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
5271wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
5153bl.score.senderscore.com
4944ips.backscatterer.org
4593hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
4139dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
3361all.s5h.net
2951hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2835hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2174wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
1874hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1535bl.spamcannibal.org
1029spamsources.fabel.dk
1021zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
912mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
812tr.countries.nerd.dk
747accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
634bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
606query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
577zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
534korea.services.net
444zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
441all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.38 = spam source)
377hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
300l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
207iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
191wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
187dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
136dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
115wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.20 = excellent reputation) (not a blacklist!)
81iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
62dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
62dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
62dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
57tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
55tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
36dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
15dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
14hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
12dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
6dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
6multi.surbl.org
2multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
2tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
2spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.9 = abused DNS server)
2multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
2spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
1wadb.isipp.com
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
80896(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 154 at SDSC)
52405hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
42800hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
27598l1.apews.org
6439hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
3306(union of most domain zones)
2969hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1031hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
1004hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
910hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
641dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
641dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
245hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
123hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
120urired.spameatingmonkey.net
64multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
63multi.surbl.org
61multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
59fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
53dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
26rhsbl.ahbl.org
3multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
3hostkarma.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
77476(total number of domains tested, including 98 at SDSC)
74581hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
5115hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
3707(union of most domain zones)
3146hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2792hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
2634hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2212dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
2206dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
1721multi.surbl.org
1345multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
1327multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
1064hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
848l1.apews.org
328hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
287urired.spameatingmonkey.net
272dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
224fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
40hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
25rhsbl.ahbl.org
16hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
15multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
7ex.dnsbl.org
6hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
6dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.3 = domain redirects to spammer)
3multi.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 6 March 2013.