Blacklists Compared

9 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
55303(total number of IP addresses tested, including 142 at SDSC)
50252(union of most IP zones)
42086b.barracudacentral.org
41844l2.apews.org
41497zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
38912cbl.abuseat.org
38908zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
30756spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
30438hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
30243bl.tiopan.com
29584hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
28365dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
26066zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
24004bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
20955dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
19532psbl.surriel.com
19138db.wpbl.info
18016all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
15853dnsbl.inps.de
15167bl.spameatingmonkey.net
13903truncate.gbudb.net
13459ubl.unsubscore.com
12360bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
12293all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
12170dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
12114dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
10576dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
8027dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
7306ips.backscatterer.org
6487dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
6396list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
6366bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
5639bl.spamcop.net
5433wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
5402all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
4155bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.12 = bad reputation)
3728zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
3635wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
3483bl.score.senderscore.com
3474hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
3380ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
3276hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
2792hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2727bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
2688hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
1623zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
1494bl.spamcannibal.org
1448wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
1132spamsources.fabel.dk
996all.s5h.net
957zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
893mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
850accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
791query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
694tr.countries.nerd.dk
666zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
592free.v4bl.org
446korea.services.net
381all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.38 = spam source)
321bl.mav.com.br
272wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
162iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
144hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
116dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
101dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
101dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
101dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
94iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
92dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
78wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.20 = excellent reputation) (not a blacklist!)
52tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
49tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
24dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
7dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
5spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
4spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.9 = abused DNS server)
3wadb.isipp.com
3tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
3dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
2multi.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
55303(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 142 at SDSC)
32750hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
25759hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
14198l1.apews.org
4608hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2657hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2450(union of most domain zones)
935hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
877hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
788dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
786dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
348hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
224hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
132multi.surbl.org
120hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
54hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
41rhsbl.ahbl.org
33fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
27dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
26urired.spameatingmonkey.net
2dbl.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
26423(total number of domains tested, including 115 at SDSC)
23038hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
4392hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
3334(union of most domain zones)
2532dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
2528dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
2243hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
1852hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
1540hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1454hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1206multi.surbl.org
775dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
771l1.apews.org
694fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
228hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
73urired.spameatingmonkey.net
30hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
30rhsbl.ahbl.org
12hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
11hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
6ex.dnsbl.org
4dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.3 = domain redirects to spammer)
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 11 November 2013.