Kempt.net DNS Black List (DNSBL)
The Kempt.net DNSBL is a fast IP-based blocklist (or blacklist) focusing on new spam sources. It works well alongside larger, established lists.
Updated on 17 Jun 2026: We added practical DNSBL usage guidance and tightened the removal notes for Kempt.net listings.
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Check if you are listed on Kempt.net DNS Black List (DNSBL)
And 143 other blocklists.
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TechTheftSpamhaus0SpamCiscoNoSolicitadoURIBLabuse.roALPHANETAnonmailsAscamsBLOCKEDSERVERSCalivent NetworksEFnetJustSpamKempt.netNordSpamRV-SOFT TechnologyScientific SpamSpamikazeSpamRATSSPFBLSuomispamSystem 5 HostingTeam CymruValiditywww.blocklist.de Fail2Ban-Reporting ServiceZapBL2stepback.dkFayntic ServicesORB UKtechnoirc.orgTechTheftSpamhaus0SpamCiscoNoSolicitadoURIBLabuse.roALPHANETAnonmailsAscamsBLOCKEDSERVERSCalivent NetworksEFnetJustSpamKempt.netNordSpamRV-SOFT TechnologyScientific SpamSpamikazeSpamRATSSPFBLSuomispamSystem 5 HostingTeam CymruValiditywww.blocklist.de Fail2Ban-Reporting ServiceZapBL2stepback.dkFayntic ServicesORB UKtechnoirc.orgTechTheftSpamhaus0SpamCiscoNoSolicitadoURIBLabuse.roALPHANETAnonmailsAscamsBLOCKEDSERVERSCalivent NetworksEFnetJustSpamKempt.netNordSpamRV-SOFT TechnologyScientific SpamSpamikazeSpamRATSSPFBLSuomispamSystem 5 HostingTeam CymruValiditywww.blocklist.de Fail2Ban-Reporting ServiceZapBL2stepback.dkFayntic ServicesORB UKtechnoirc.orgTechTheftSpamhaus0SpamCiscoNoSolicitadoURIBLabuse.roALPHANETAnonmailsAscamsBLOCKEDSERVERSCalivent NetworksEFnetJustSpamKempt.netNordSpamRV-SOFT TechnologyScientific SpamSpamikazeSpamRATSSPFBLSuomispamSystem 5 HostingTeam CymruValiditywww.blocklist.de Fail2Ban-Reporting ServiceZapBL2stepback.dkFayntic ServicesORB UKtechnoirc.orgTechTheftWhat is Kempt.net DNS Black List (DNSBL)?
The Kempt.net DNS Black List (DNSBL) is a narrow IP-based blocklist and blacklist for newly active spam sources. Its goal is to react quickly when a host starts sending or relaying spam, instead of maintaining a long-term database of known offenders. It is designed to catch transient spam activity that larger lists can miss at first.
The listing policy is automated and is not based on email content. It identifies spam by the way messages are sent and the addresses they are sent to. For example, it watches for mail sent to addresses that have never existed but still receive high volumes of spam. When a new source sends to those spam-trap addresses, the sending IP address is added to the blacklist.
Some key technical aspects of this blocklist include:
- Use the Kempt.net DNSBL alongside larger blocklists that handle long-term problem hosts, because this list is built for recent spam activity.
- Expect a small visible list at any given time, since only currently active spam sources are published through DNS.
- A positive lookup against dnsbl.kempt.net returns 127.0.0.2, plus a TXT record that describes when the host was last seen sending spam.
- The DNS response does not distinguish between a spam source, an open relay, or another type of abusive sender. The list is built for fast detection, not detailed classification.
Who runs Kempt.net DNS Black List (DNSBL)?
The Kempt.net DNSBL was operated by Kempt.net, a legacy Internet Service Provider (ISP) that provided email, web hosting, and shell access. The public Kempt.net DNSBL documentation is not reliably reachable, so administrators should treat it as a legacy blacklist and verify DNS responses before relying on it in active mail filtering.
How to use Kempt.net DNS Black List (DNSBL)
The DNSBL zone name is dnsbl.kempt.net. A receiving mail server that supports DNSBL lookups can query that zone during SMTP checks. If the sending IP address is listed, the lookup returns 127.0.0.2, and the receiver can decide whether to reject the message or add spam score.
Use this blocklist as a recent-activity signal, not as a complete spam filtering policy. Kempt.net was designed to complement broader DNS blacklists, so a positive result means recent spam activity was observed by Kempt.net, not that the host has a long-term reputation problem.
- Check that your mail server handles temporary DNS failures cleanly before using the list for outright rejection.
- Log the returned TXT record when available, because it can help connect a listing to the time of the spam event.
- Avoid treating a single Kempt.net listing as proof of a permanent sender reputation issue, since first-time listings expire quickly.
How do I get removed and delisted from Kempt.net DNS Black List (DNSBL)?
Removal from the Kempt.net DNSBL is automated. There is no current public delisting form for immediate manual removal, and the original removal contact details should be treated as legacy information unless you have confirmed they still work.
An offending IP address is listed soon after it is caught sending or relaying spam. The delisting process is time-based:
- A first offense is automatically removed from the blacklist after one day.
- Repeat offenses cause the same IP address to be listed again for a longer period each time.
Before waiting for expiry, fix the cause of the spam event. Check for compromised accounts, malware on sending hosts, open relay behavior, and scripts or web forms that send unauthenticated mail. If the issue remains, the IP address can return to the blocklist after the next spam event.
What's the impact of being listed on Kempt.net DNS Black List (DNSBL)?
The impact of being listed on the Kempt.net DNSBL is usually limited. Because the blacklist is transient and focuses on a small number of newly active spam sources, a listing affects mail only at receivers that still query dnsbl.kempt.net during filtering.
The DNSBL itself does not block mail. It publishes listing data, and each receiving mail server decides how to use that result. If a receiver uses this blocklist for rejection, your messages can bounce until the listing expires. If the receiver uses it for scoring, the listing can increase the chance that mail is filtered as spam.
