Blacklists Compared

1 March 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
58072(total number of IP addresses tested, including 149 at SDSC)
53035(union of most IP zones)
45671b.barracudacentral.org
43991l2.apews.org
43743zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
41910cbl.abuseat.org
41909zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
37950spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
37228bl.tiopan.com
33558dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
33226ubl.unsubscore.com
32278hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
32071psbl.surriel.com
27572bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
25393zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
25315bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
23521dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
22380hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
21529dnsbl.inps.de
21327bl.spameatingmonkey.net
19882db.wpbl.info
14904all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
14085dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
13298dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
12605bl.spamcop.net
11521dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
10369all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
9211dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
9208truncate.gbudb.net
7854dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
7533ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
6325list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
5171zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
5108wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
5051ips.backscatterer.org
4301all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
3500hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
3329hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
3205bl.score.senderscore.com
3045hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
3038wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
3038hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
1768spamsources.fabel.dk
1681bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
1420korea.services.net
1372wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
1372zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
1370all.s5h.net
1304bl.spamcannibal.org
935bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.11 = very bad reputation)
911tr.countries.nerd.dk
821zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
740accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
662query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
634wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
596bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.12 = bad reputation)
551zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
333hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
281all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.38 = spam source)
258mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
207free.v4bl.org
171iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
112bl.mav.com.br
89iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
88dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
88dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
88dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
80dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
70dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
66wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.20 = excellent reputation) (not a blacklist!)
37tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
36tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
16multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
16multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
11multi.surbl.org
10dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
6dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
5spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
3dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
3dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.5 = open relay)
3spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.9 = abused DNS server)
2spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
1wadb.isipp.com
1tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
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
58072(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 149 at SDSC)
36056hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
29743hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
17545l1.apews.org
4292hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2447hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2188(union of most domain zones)
853hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
779hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
611dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
611dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
416hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
246hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
150hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
99fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
72dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
55hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
51multi.surbl.org
42multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
42multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
37urired.spameatingmonkey.net
29rhsbl.ahbl.org
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
43354(total number of domains tested, including 107 at SDSC)
36405hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
5472(union of most domain zones)
4981hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
3586hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
3580dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
3580dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
2753hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
1717hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1672hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1548multi.surbl.org
1484multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
1471multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
612fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
610dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
368l1.apews.org
214hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
159urired.spameatingmonkey.net
50hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
48hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
29rhsbl.ahbl.org
16hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
11multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
6ex.dnsbl.org
2multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
1hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.3 = MTA somtimes sends QUIT)
This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 4 March 2014.