Blacklists Compared

18 January 2014

[ 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
35139(total number of IP addresses tested, including 134 at SDSC)
30098(union of most IP zones)
23774l2.apews.org
23210zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
23173b.barracudacentral.org
21085zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
21085cbl.abuseat.org
19217spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
19024hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
18482hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
16524bl.tiopan.com
14270dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
13332zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
13256dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
13086ubl.unsubscore.com
12485bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
11315db.wpbl.info
9606psbl.surriel.com
9466dnsbl.inps.de
8767all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
8260dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
7776bl.spameatingmonkey.net
7763bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
7435dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
6200list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
6056bl.spamcop.net
5999all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
5629ips.backscatterer.org
5547dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
5388wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
5225dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
4900truncate.gbudb.net
4142dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
3816bl.score.senderscore.com
3324bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
3249hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
3204wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
2687hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
2579all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
2556hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2270hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2158zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
1577zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
1455wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
1382ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
1248bl.spamcannibal.org
1103bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
943zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
880bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.12 = bad reputation)
799accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
788all.s5h.net
750query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
644wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
634zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
632tr.countries.nerd.dk
554spamsources.fabel.dk
434korea.services.net
395mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
279hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
246free.v4bl.org
221all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.38 = spam source)
157iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
111dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
111dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
111dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
85wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.20 = excellent reputation) (not a blacklist!)
83iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
49dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
48bl.mav.com.br
48tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
43tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
37dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
11dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
8spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
6spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.9 = abused DNS server)
5tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
5dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
3multi.surbl.org
2dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.5 = open relay)
2spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
1dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
1dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
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
35139(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 134 at SDSC)
21863hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
18262hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
7936l1.apews.org
2583hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2457hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1591(union of most domain zones)
846hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
578dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
578dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
347hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
232hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
182hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
87hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
50fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
42multi.surbl.org
39dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
27hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
24rhsbl.ahbl.org
15urired.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
19471(total number of domains tested, including 88 at SDSC)
12353hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
4222(union of most domain zones)
3837hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
3299hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
2758hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
2611dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
2611dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
1429hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1208hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
952multi.surbl.org
542l1.apews.org
370fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
346dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
182hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
154hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
42urired.spameatingmonkey.net
36hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
27rhsbl.ahbl.org
13hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
3ex.dnsbl.org
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 19 January 2014.