Blacklists Compared

7 September 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 and l2.apews.org zones are also excluded from the union.

HitsDNS Zone
60678(total number of IP addresses tested, including 186 at SDSC)
55522(union of most IP zones)
47864l2.apews.org
47330zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
47062b.barracudacentral.org
43370cbl.abuseat.org
43357zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
40054bl.tiopan.com
38120spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
37432hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
32263bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
31023dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
30851zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
28200hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
27068psbl.surriel.com
26088dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
23319db.wpbl.info
18875bl.spameatingmonkey.net
18248dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
18059dnsbl.inps.de
17999all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
16915dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
16783bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.12 = bad reputation)
14344dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
14187ubl.unsubscore.com
13331dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
11877bl.score.senderscore.com
11668all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
11055ips.backscatterer.org
10315bl.spamcop.net
9547truncate.gbudb.net
9242bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
8803dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
6137all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
5970list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
5325bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
5193wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
4773zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
4592ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
3741hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
3352bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
3286hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
3261wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
2849all.s5h.net
2591hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2001hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1519zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
1481bl.spamcannibal.org
1296wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
1244spamsources.fabel.dk
997free.v4bl.org
843tr.countries.nerd.dk
832zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
721accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
687zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
608mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
599query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
540wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
335korea.services.net
252all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.38 = spam source)
166hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
163bl.mav.com.br
162iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
104dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
104dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
104dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
98dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
96wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.20 = excellent reputation) (not a blacklist!)
96iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
84dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
63tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
63tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
14dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
8dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
5spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
4spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.9 = abused DNS server)
3dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
2wadb.isipp.com
1multi.surbl.org
1spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
1hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
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
60678(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 186 at SDSC)
33865hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
26370hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
15785l1.apews.org
4538hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2671(union of most domain zones)
2400hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1036hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
982dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
982dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
915hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
355hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
269hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
176fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
143hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
131dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
103multi.surbl.org
64rhsbl.ahbl.org
18hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
16urired.spameatingmonkey.net
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
34966(total number of domains tested, including 160 at SDSC)
27668hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
4186(union of most domain zones)
3379hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
3034hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
2666hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
2201dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
2200dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
1354hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1300hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
905multi.surbl.org
875dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
823fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
318l1.apews.org
205hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
51urired.spameatingmonkey.net
37hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
32rhsbl.ahbl.org
12hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
5hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
5ex.dnsbl.org
3hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.3 = MTA somtimes sends QUIT)
1dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.3 = domain redirects to spammer)
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 9 September 2013.