Blacklists Compared

2 November 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
57224(total number of IP addresses tested, including 142 at SDSC)
52179(union of most IP zones)
44830b.barracudacentral.org
44546l2.apews.org
43534zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
38916cbl.abuseat.org
38912zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
34232hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
33845hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
33127spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
32492bl.tiopan.com
31853dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
27923zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
25688bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
23900psbl.surriel.com
21829dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
20047db.wpbl.info
18852bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
18420all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
16752dnsbl.inps.de
16676bl.spameatingmonkey.net
14547dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
13850ubl.unsubscore.com
13718truncate.gbudb.net
12773dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
12707dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
12428all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
8673dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
6547ips.backscatterer.org
6398list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
6170dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
5705all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
5553wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
5099bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.12 = bad reputation)
5033bl.spamcop.net
4100zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
3442hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
3392wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
3304ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
3126bl.score.senderscore.com
2935hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2882hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2777bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
2457hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
2443all.s5h.net
1551bl.spamcannibal.org
1481wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
1388zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
1063spamsources.fabel.dk
848zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
811accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
788tr.countries.nerd.dk
663query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
626free.v4bl.org
614wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
580bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
540zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
425korea.services.net
418mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
338all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.38 = spam source)
187iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
147hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
125iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
87dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
87dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
87dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
78dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
67dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
66wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.20 = excellent reputation) (not a blacklist!)
35tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
33tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
11dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
7spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
6spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.9 = abused DNS server)
5wadb.isipp.com
4dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
4dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
4l1.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
3l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
2tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
1multi.surbl.org
1spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
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
57224(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 142 at SDSC)
33887hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
26565hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
15489l1.apews.org
4830hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2503hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1806(union of most domain zones)
726hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
701dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
700dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
438hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
347hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
207hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
110multi.surbl.org
78hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
53rhsbl.ahbl.org
32fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
29dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
28hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
10urired.spameatingmonkey.net
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
27672(total number of domains tested, including 114 at SDSC)
23108hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
4600hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
2934(union of most domain zones)
2093dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
2090dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
1923hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
1826hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
1524hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1470hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
881multi.surbl.org
825l1.apews.org
668dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
586fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
195hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
70urired.spameatingmonkey.net
35rhsbl.ahbl.org
23hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
18hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
17hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
6ex.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 4 November 2013.