Blacklists Compared

9 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
96455(total number of IP addresses tested, including 159 at SDSC)
89958(union of most IP zones)
74379l2.apews.org
72654ip.v4bl.org
70596zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
70499b.barracudacentral.org
67755cbl.abuseat.org
67752zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
64616bl.tiopan.com
58397bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
52380dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
52093hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
50890bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.12 = bad reputation)
47887zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
40829spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
40077hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
35230dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
34672dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
34654dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
34521psbl.surriel.com
34186db.wpbl.info
33968ubl.unsubscore.com
30578bl.spameatingmonkey.net
29758dnsbl.inps.de
27822all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
22401free.v4bl.org
18503truncate.gbudb.net
18015all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
17563dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
15601dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
12892bl.spamcop.net
12290ips.backscatterer.org
9920wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
9674dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
9394all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
8128list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
7874hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
7660bl.score.senderscore.com
7366zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
6817ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
6236bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
5976wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
5874bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
3916all.s5h.net
3648wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
3292hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
3174hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2433hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1942bl.spamcannibal.org
1301spamsources.fabel.dk
1167mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
1126zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
935tr.countries.nerd.dk
748korea.services.net
738accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
608zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
605query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
518zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
494all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.38 = spam source)
397bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
321hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
300l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
208iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
207dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
186wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
150dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
112wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.20 = excellent reputation) (not a blacklist!)
95iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
60tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
58tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
56dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
56dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
56dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
38dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
18dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
10multi.surbl.org
10hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
9dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
8dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
4spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
3spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
2tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
1spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.9 = abused DNS server)
1dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.20 = blog/wiki/comment spam source)
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
96455(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 159 at SDSC)
60930hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
47023hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
27718l1.apews.org
7422hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
3586hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
3430(union of most domain zones)
1215hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
962hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
895hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
593dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
592dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
234hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
122hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
85urired.spameatingmonkey.net
73multi.surbl.org
61fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
60multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
58multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
52dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
30rhsbl.ahbl.org
8hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
2multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
1dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.3 = domain redirects to spammer)
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
69195(total number of domains tested, including 109 at SDSC)
65465hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
5333hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
3789(union of most domain zones)
3288hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2861hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
2757hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2246dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
2243dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
1751multi.surbl.org
1341multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
1319multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
1283hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
897l1.apews.org
524dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
424fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
373hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
61urired.spameatingmonkey.net
30rhsbl.ahbl.org
28hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
21hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
15multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
8hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
7multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
6ex.dnsbl.org
3dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.3 = domain redirects to spammer)
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 12 March 2013.