Blacklists Compared

9 June 2012

[ 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
43698(total number of IP addresses tested, including 201 at SDSC)
39879(union of most IP zones)
31578l2.apews.org
30923b.barracudacentral.org
30565ip.v4bl.org
30280zen.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
28826zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.4 = Composite Blocking List)
28824cbl.abuseat.org
26033bl.tiopan.com
21627hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
20505dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net
19778zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.11 = Spamhaus PBL, Spamhaus entry)
18547hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
15777dnsbl-2.uceprotect.net
15475all.spamrats.com (union of all results)
14839dnsbl-3.uceprotect.net
13020spam.dnsbl.sorbs.net
12990psbl.surriel.com
11708dnsbl.sorbs.net (union of all results)
10311bl.spameatingmonkey.net
9671ubl.unsubscore.com
8634all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.36 = dialup)
7796bl.mailspike.net (union of all results)
7795bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.2 = distributed spam wave participant)
7789bl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.10 = worst possible reputation)
6484list.dnswl.org (not a blacklist!)
6457all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.37 = no reverse DNS entry)
6282dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.7 = hacked/vulnerable)
6225dnsbl.inps.de
5971dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.10 = dialup)
5629truncate.gbudb.net
4617bl.spamcop.net
4544db.wpbl.info
3386wl.mailspike.net (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
3286zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.10 = Spamhaus PBL, ISP contributed)
2991hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
2942hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
2639ips.backscatterer.org
2623hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
2393ix.dnsbl.manitu.net
2220wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.17 = possible legitimate sender) (not a blacklist!)
2053bl.score.senderscore.com
1484hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1237korea.services.net
1165wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.18 = good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
1126zen.spamhaus.org (union of SBL and SBLCSS results)
1037bl.spamcannibal.org
856spamsources.fabel.dk
785accredit.habeas.com (not a blacklist!)
664query.bondedsender.org (not a blacklist!)
636zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.3 = Spamhaus SBLCSS)
490zen.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.0.2 = Spamhaus SBL)
452all.spamrats.com (result 127.0.0.38 = spam source)
439dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.6 = spam source)
399mail-abuse.blacklist.jippg.org
388tr.countries.nerd.dk
320l2.bbfh.ext.sorbs.net
303aspews.ext.sorbs.net
302hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source aspirant)
275dnsbl.njabl.org (union of all results)
254iadb.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
209dnsbl.ahbl.org (union of all results)
191dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.9 = open proxy)
178dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
84all.s5h.net
63iadb2.isipp.com (not a blacklist!)
61tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (union of all results)
60tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.2 = /24 contains a Tor server)
49dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.4 = spam source)
42dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.3 = open socks proxy)
42dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.4 = open proxy)
42dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.2 = open http proxy)
35dnsbl.njabl.org (result 127.0.0.2 = open relay)
17dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.3 = open proxy)
17spamguard.leadmon.net (union of all results)
15spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.9 = abused DNS server)
14dnsbl.ahbl.org (result 127.0.0.10 = shoot on sight spammer)
11swl.spamhaus.org (union of all results) (not a blacklist!)
10multi.surbl.org
8hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
8bl.deadbeef.com
6swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.3 = sends transactions) (not a blacklist!)
6dnsbl.sorbs.net (result 127.0.0.9 = zombie network)
5dnsbl-0.uceprotect.net
4swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.103 = sends transactions - temporary listing) (not a blacklist!)
2multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
2spamguard.leadmon.net (result 127.0.0.7 = spam source netblock)
2multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
1tor.dnsbl.sectoor.de (result 127.0.0.1 = Tor server)
1swl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.2.2 = sends individual mail) (not a blacklist!)
1wl.mailspike.net (result 127.0.0.19 = very good reputation) (not a blacklist!)
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
43698(total number of IP addresses whose names were tested, including 201 at SDSC)
23682hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
18673hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
14578(union of most domain zones)
11594abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
8710l1.apews.org
5790whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
4912whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
3140hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
2918hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
879whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
553hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
356dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
356dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
316hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
261hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
242urired.spameatingmonkey.net
166hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
118hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
44postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
38rhsbl.ahbl.org
36bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
29multi.surbl.org
16multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
16multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
9fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
6hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
6dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
3bl.deadbeef.com
2dsn.rfc-ignorant.org (zone not intended for this use)
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
26859(total number of domains tested, including 181 at SDSC)
22007hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.3 = domain first seen more than 7 days ago)
7160(union of most domain zones)
3683hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.1 = MTA sends QUIT)
2659whois.rfc-ignorant.org (union of all results)
2531whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.7 = no whois data at all)
2252dbl.spamhaus.org (result 127.0.1.2 = spam source)
2252dbl.spamhaus.org (union of all results)
2050hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.1 = whitelisted)
1927hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam source)
1924hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.5 = do not blacklist)
1777hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.2 = domain first seen in last 7 days)
1569urired.spameatingmonkey.net
1324multi.surbl.org
1253abuse.rfc-ignorant.org
1104multi.uribl.com (union of all results)
1086multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.2 = spam resource)
660postmaster.rfc-ignorant.org
468l1.apews.org
427bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
365hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.0.3 = mix of spam and nonspam)
356fresh.spameatingmonkey.net
253dob.sibl.support-intelligence.net
194dsn.rfc-ignorant.org
128whois.rfc-ignorant.org (result 127.0.0.5 = bad whois data)
36rhsbl.ahbl.org
18hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.4 = no verify host)
15multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.4 = opt-out spam resource)
8hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.1.2 = MTA does not send QUIT)
5ex.dnsbl.org
4hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com (result 127.0.2.1 = domain first seen today)
3multi.uribl.com (result 127.0.0.8 = new domain or concealed contact)
3hostkarma.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 June 2012.