Blacklists Compared

5 September 2009

[ 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, and iadb2.isipp.com zones because they are not blacklists. Because it is too aggressive to be widely useful the l2.apews.org zone is also excluded from the union.

HitsDNS Zone
149142(total number of IP addresses tested, including 193 at SDSC)
145301(union of most IP zones)
134721b.barracudacentral.org
130738zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
127103l2.apews.org
98887bl.spameatingmonkey.net
94773hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
88847zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
88817cbl.abuseat.org
88777dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
88637dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
87555dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
87344dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
84254zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
80046psbl.surriel.com
63095dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
59428ubl.unsubscore.com
45687hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
36115no-more-funn.moensted.dk (union of all results)
34550dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
31714bl.spamcop.net
31090blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (union of all results)
27884db.wpbl.info
27853blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
24974no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.3 = dialup)
22452zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
16054ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
15340spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
12178mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
9236no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
9223hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
9199dnsbl.inps.de
8011korea.services.net
7380bl.spamcannibal.org
4336tr.countries.nerd.dk
4209spamsources.fabel.dk
4128ips.backscatterer.org
3786list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
3098hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2400blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
2346dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
2021hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
1812dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
1342hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1028no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.10 = open proxy)
997aspews.ext.sorbs.net
860no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.9 = misc)
817blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.4 = unconfirmed opt-in)
511accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
417dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
382query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
378dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
297zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
187dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
163iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
162l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
143dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
121iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
118dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
96no-more-funn.moensted.dk (result 127.0.0.7 = spam haven)
88tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
88tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
83hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
49bl.deadbeef.com
44dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
38dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
38dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
19blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.12 = spam-friendly freemail provider)
17zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.5 = time-expired NJABL open proxy)
12l1.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
11multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
11multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
7spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
6dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
6multi.surbl.org
5blackholes.brainerd.net
4dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
4spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
4hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
2dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
2spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.8 = open proxy)
1dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.5 = open relay)
1spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.3 = spam source)
1blackholes.five-ten-sg.com (result 127.0.0.11 = TCPA violator)
1dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.20 = blog/wiki/comment spam source)

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
149142(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 193 at SDSC)
90060hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
80701hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
73705(union of most domain zones)
64955l1.apews.org
59066abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
29431dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
24685whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
16422whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
8515hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
8263whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
3885webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
3408hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1351urired.spameatingmonkey.net
786hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
720hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
708adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
216hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
197hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
148hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
107rhsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.11 = domain uses bad address space)
107rhsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
90multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
90multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
67postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
49multi.surbl.org
44bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
41dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
29bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
27rhsbl.ahbl.org
14fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
14dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
11hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
6porn.rhs.mailpolice.com
2bl.deadbeef.com

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
83616(total number of domains tested, including 173 at SDSC)
78698hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
21435(union of most domain zones)
8646urired.spameatingmonkey.net
7920hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
5554whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
4920whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
4640hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
4457abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
2753l1.apews.org
2454hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1998hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
1524bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
1387multi.surbl.org
1267postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
1234multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
1219multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
897webmail.rhs.mailpolice.com
801hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
634whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
518hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
393dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
354dynamic.rhs.mailpolice.com
328porn.rhs.mailpolice.com
286adv.rhs.mailpolice.com
83bulk.rhs.mailpolice.com
48hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
37hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
27hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
24rhsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.11 = domain uses bad address space)
24rhsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
15rhsbl.ahbl.org
14fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
14ex.dnsbl.org
13multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
6dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
2multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
2fraud.rhs.mailpolice.com
2hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.3 = MTA somtimes sends QUIT)
1bl.deadbeef.com

This document was last updated by Jeff Makey <jeff@sdsc.edu> on 11 September 2009.