Blacklists Compared

1 February 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
30831(total number of IP addresses tested, including 135 at SDSC)
25434(union of most IP zones)
19467b.barracudacentral.org
19445l2.apews.org
18046zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
16603cbl.abuseat.org
16488zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
16015spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
14488hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
13619hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
13604bl.tiopan.com
12028dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
11784bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
10613ubl.unsubscore.com
10363bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
9550zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
8193dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
7842dnsbl.inps.de
7819all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
7299db.wpbl.info
6145list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
5970bl.spameatingmonkey.net
5522wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
5386all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
4495dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
4306psbl.surriel.com
4143dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
3913dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
3626ips.backscatterer.org
3493truncate.gbudb.net
3388dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
3240wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
3232hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2803hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2712bl.spamcop.net
2222all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
2166hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2064hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
1963zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
1804dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
1443wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
1243zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
949bl.spamcannibal.org
941bl.score.senderscore.com
837bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
756ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
754wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
749accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
736all.s5h.net
660query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
641zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
616bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
602zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
522tr.countries.nerd.dk
494bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.12 = bad reputation)
383spamsources.fabel.dk
370korea.services.net
287mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
281hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
235all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.38 = spam source)
195iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
187free.v4bl.org
109iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
85wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.20 = excellent reputation) (not a blacklist!)
81dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
81dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
81dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
63bl.mav.com.br
47tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
46tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
44dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
38dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
15spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
14spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.9 = abused DNS server)
4multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
4dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
4multi.surbl.org
4dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.5 = open relay)
4dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
4multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
2wadb.isipp.com
2dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
1tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
1spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
1l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
1dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.20 = blog/wiki/comment spam source)
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
30831(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 135 at SDSC)
20873hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
17203hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
7095l1.apews.org
2619hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2501hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1541(union of most domain zones)
698dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
698dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
682hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
390hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
222hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
189hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
90hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
57fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
40multi.surbl.org
36multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
36multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
35hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
34urired.spameatingmonkey.net
33rhsbl.ahbl.org
30dob.sibl.support-intelligence.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
18707(total number of domains tested, including 98 at SDSC)
13924hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
5140(union of most domain zones)
3857hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
3664hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
2927dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
2927dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
2648hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
1456hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1323multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
1311multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
1218hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1008multi.surbl.org
718fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
692dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
553l1.apews.org
184hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
84urired.spameatingmonkey.net
31hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
28rhsbl.ahbl.org
20hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
14hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
11multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
2ex.dnsbl.org
1multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 2 February 2014.