Blacklists Compared

29 September 2001

[ Fighting Spam | Blacklists Compared | Current Blacklist Comparison ]

Survey results for all known public IP-based DNS blacklists. Lookups were done on connecting IP addresses.

  Hits   DNS Zone
  5934  (total number of IP addresses tested, including 282 at SDSC)
  1398  xbl.selwerd.cx
  1208  (union of all IP zones except xbl.selwerd.cx)
   432  blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (union of all results)
   422  outputs.orbz.org
   291  relays.ordb.org
   279  inputs.orbz.org
   270  relays.osirusoft.com (union of all results)
   239  blackholes.intersil.net
   188  blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
   186  ztl.dorkslayers.com
   182  blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.4 = unconfirmed opt-in)
   176  relays.osirusoft.com (result 127.0.0.2 = relay)
   172  inputs.relays.osirusoft.com
   139  flowgoaway.com
   131  block.blars.org
   130  orbs.dorkslayers.com
    89  relays.dorkslayers.com
    80  relays.osirusoft.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
    73  spews.relays.osirusoft.com
    71  spammers.v6net.org
    70  dev.null.dk
    52  blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.3 = dialup)
    40  blocktest.relays.osirusoft.com (not a blacklist!)
    16  ipwhois.rfc-ignorant.org
    10  dialups.relays.osirusoft.com
    10  relays.osirusoft.com (result 127.0.0.3 = dialup)
    10  blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.5 = should be listed at MAPS)
     7  relays.osirusoft.com (result 127.0.0.6 = spamware vendor)
     5  spamhaus.relays.osirusoft.com
     4  orbz.gst-group.co.uk (union of all results)
     3  orbz.gst-group.co.uk (result 127.0.0.3 = relay)
     1  orbz.gst-group.co.uk (result 127.0.0.2 = relay output)
Survey results for all known public domain-name-based DNS blacklists. Lookups were done on the domain names of connecting IP addresses.

  Hits   DNS Zone
  5934  (total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 282 at SDSC)
   212  (union of all domain zones)
   142  whois.rfc-ignorant.org
    89  abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
     3  dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
     2  postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
Survey results for all known public domain-name-based DNS blacklists. Lookups were done on SMTP sender domains.

  Hits   DNS Zone
  4166  (total number of domains tested, including 70 at SDSC)
   257  (union of all domain zones)
   161  whois.rfc-ignorant.org
    51  abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
    50  postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
    33  dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
The web sites listed below provide detailed information about the DNS zones listed above, including their listing policies.

The blackholes.intersil.net zone "lists entrenched spammers, mainsleaze and mainsleaze wannabes who have pestered users at Intersil." The flowgoaway.com zone lists FloNetwork systems.

The DNS lists maintained at the 4 sites marked with an asterisk ("*") were suspended after the destruction of the World Trade Center to avoid any collateral blocking of communications by the survivors. All of the lists have returned to normal except ORBL, which is why there were no hits in it this week.

The XBL is excluded from the zone union because of of its extremely aggressive listing policy, but otherwise is shown for completeness.

This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 30 September 2001.