Edit: Since September 2015, there has been considerable removals of blocked ranges from the list. These listings appear to be redundant. Probably over 90% of the original listings were put in place prior to 2011 (or prior to 2010.) Obviously this needed to be reviewed. Since then, many internet service providers have changed owners; purposes for some ranges has changed; whilst last decade most ip addressing was static, nowadays the opposite is true, mostly dynamic; some companies set up for attacking the network no longer exist. But at the same time, some new companies have been found in recent years.

There is now a combo WireShare-LimeWire Hostiles-Updater. The WireShare hostiles included within the program installer is from July 2015. The older WireShare versions' hostiles even older.

(Original text from 2012): It has been a few months since I suggested I would do it. But I have finally created a blocklist (security list) based off the original BearShare Full Hostiles but continually updated over past few months. I realised the props file is a terrible place for a large amount of data to be stored because LW copies that information into memory and totally rewrites the data back to the props file every 5-10 minutes.
(obsolete): Based on my work on the MacOSX Portable Mac, I had an inkling of an idea I might be able to force LW to read a settings option from a separate file. And it works! I recently packaged all the LW 4 and 5 installers with the security installers. These installers included with the LW installers include a base LW.props (settings) file which includes the directive path for LW to find and use the security file. (/obsolete)

Nobody is pretending these files will block out all spam but definitely reduce it very significantly.

I use the CIDR host format which is more memory friendly than the older netmask format BearShare uses (50-55% less memory.) Also my large (Strong) lists are notably smaller than the BearShare list but does not take any strength away. (My list is also smaller than the FW list which uses the old BS netmask format.)
A comparison of characters needed in memory between the LW CIDR blocklist and the BearShare Full Hostiles:
LW-NJ (441,000 hosts) = 6,609,430
BearShare Hostiles-NJ (477,000 hosts) = 14,042,472
LW full (418,000 hosts) = 6,259,398
BearShare Hostiles Full (453,000 hosts) = 13,320,053
LW-Light NJ (31,000 hosts) = 473,592
LW-Light (30,000 hosts) = 458,626

The security lists have been tested with LW 4.14 to 4.18 and LW 5 (Pirate Edition.) I presume the security lists will also work with earlier versions of LW 4.

LW 4 and 5 seem to be able to handle the large security list fine, though for those with very large shares and whom have long sessions (several days) may find LW 5 becomes a little laggy after 2-3 days. There should be no problems using the large list in general. But if you do, swap to one of the light lists. The large list is about 14 times larger (I refer to the large list as Strong Security.) I will be updating the Security files every 4 to 6 months. (- edit). I will date them so you know.
With 6 lists to update (two for BearShare), it's a lot of work. Incredibly slow, tedious and boring.
I will not be adding spam hosts to the list unless they are sighted again after a month (but will keep a permanent record of them.) Some spammers use proxy switchers, and some other spammers use dynamic addresses. This bothers me about inheriting a previous list because I have no idea of the prior methodology used. Edit: If there had been enough interest shown I might have started from 'almost' scratch but seems not many persons have shown interest in this security concept.

Not a bad idea to clear out any banned lists of spammers you have done after a week or month. Chances you will never see most of them again using the same host address after a day or a week. Clearing the list out will save on memory use.

The 'Full' Japanese block versions are really 'full' blocks. There's only a very minor chance you might see any Japanese hosts. Yes you may see Cabos hosts but they will not be from Japan. Unlike my partial Japanese blocks I did a few months ago. If you used those previous Japanese block lists from 3 months ago you should remove them from your props file Banned list to save some memory.

* I would recommend removing most if not all of your previously banned hosts to save memory. Using the Security list you will probably find any hosts you banned previously are no longer needed. You can still add fresh ones by the usual method of banning if any hosts are spammers or are problematic.

(obsolete): Once your limewire.props file has the directive instructions for LW to find the location of the security file, after that in future all you need to do is install updates to the security file itself. Unless of course you delete your LW preferences folder for any reason or your LW props file becomes zeroed after a severe crash. (/obsolete)

WireShare or LimeWire will not read or re-read a fresh hostiles file until after the program's next restart. So it's best to install the hostiles-update whilst the program is closed.

The options:

1. 'Light' Security
Choice for keeping things light. The main known static spam companies are blocked. Though you might still receive spam from dynamic/proxy spammers.
Filename: LimeWire Light Security-NJ 2012 Windows Updater

2. 'Light' Security with 'Full' Japanese blocks for those whom only wish to connect to and search for similar cultural content. This will also remove any chance of spam from Japanese hosts.
Filename: LimeWire Light Security 2012 Windows Updater

3. 'Strong' Security
This will maximize blocks against spammers. Not to say you will not still get spam, but will greatly reduce it significantly.
Filename: LimeWire Strong Security-NJ 2012 Windows Updater

4. 'Strong' Security with 'Full' Japanese blocks for those whom only wish to connect to and search for similar cultural content. This will also remove any chance of spam from Japanese hosts. This is the strongest of all the packages and is 6% smaller than the other Strong security package due to not needing to block individual or small ranges of known Japanese spam/hostile hosts.
Filename: LimeWire Strong Security 2012 Windows Updater

* In case you are wondering, the initials -NJ represent No Japanese blocks. Though really means just basic blocks against known static Japanese spammers and business ranges. But you will still be able to download and share with regular Japanese hosts.



Windows users: (as of Feb 2013 only one installer): The installer gives the above 4 options. As of 31 April 2013, the updater will no longer replace your props file if first time installing. Instead the necessary instruction is inserted into the props file by the installer.

(obsolete): If you would prefer to do it manually, then uncheck first option in the installer or download the separate zipped Linux security file of choice. Open your limewire.props file in your LW preferences folder and create a fresh line and type in the following:
PATH_TO_BLACK_LISTED_IP_ADDRESSES=Home>AppData/LimeWire/Hostiles.txt
Save the file as standard text, keeping the .props file extension. This line is necessary for LW to find the security file. If you simply install the security file and LW's props have no instructions on finding it then LW will not use the security file. (/obsolete)

MacOSX users: all 4 packages are included within the one installer. Choose from the installer's menu options. The installer script will insert a line of text into your props file which will tell LW where to find the security file. This makes it very very easy for you. Filename: MacOSX LimeWire Security 2013 install-Updater

Linux users: download the Linux security file of choice, unzip and place into your LW preferences folder found at: ~/.limewire
Edit 8 June 2013, I have now included a .sh bash script for installing, all inclusive in one package. I used 7z format as it compresses to 1.3 MB compared to zip or tar.gz at 3.4 MB. Uncompress, open the folder and simply run the script via terminal and your choices will show. Line inserted into the props file for you. The manual method below is then not necessary. (I used bash v.4 syntax for suppressing i/o error messages, let me know if this causes problems for anyone using an earlier bash version. bash v.4 was released in 2009.)
(obsolete): Locate and open your limewire.props file found at ~/.limewire/limewire.props and type into a fresh line the following text:
PATH_TO_BLACK_LISTED_IP_ADDRESSES=Home/.limewire/hostiles.txt
Save the file as standard text, keeping the .props file extension. (/obsolete)

* Edit 14 May 2013: I just discovered on Linux the hostiles file needs to start without a capital or else it will not work. I have adjusted the files for linux. Sorry to anybody who might have been inconvenienced and thought these files did not work.

The Linux files include manual instructions for both Linux, Windows and MacOSX.

Linux Filenames: . linux_LW_Security_install.7z (recommended) - uses a script to install it.
(Edit: the Manual lists are no longer being hosted! Not enough demand for them.)
. Linux Manual Light LW Security 2013, . Linux Manual Light LW Security-NJ 2013, . Linux Manual Strong LW Security 2013, . Linux Manual Strong LW Security-NJ 2013.


LimeWire clones are unable to utilize the hostiles file. I did create a multi-clone blocklist installer but discovered most LW clones did not use the hostiles. I find LuckyWire highly problematic to connect and only seem to be able to connect via forcing hosts. It's my guess it probably only works with LuckyWire and certainly seems to. The reason being most of the clones were earlier breakaways from the LW code before LW introduced the portable code options within the main code.


What is a Hostile Host? - my definition:
Nobody is pretending these lists will block out all spam but certainly greatly reduce it, and even better it will reduce chances of you connecting directly to known spam/hostile hosts. There's different types of spammers and hostile hosts. Some you may not be aware of due to their approaches. For example, some will ping your client to reduce your program's abilities at downloading, uploading, searching and even connections without attempting to connect, browse, or download from you. At worst the constant ping attacks (DDoS) will make you lose internet connection. Some will browse you as soon as and every time you log into the network. Then some may browse you robotically every 10-15 minutes for hours on end without downloading from you. Then there's some whom will attempt to fill and constrain your upload slots. This is a well known approach of theirs for many years. They will normally either choose your largest files to download all at once or your largest collection of files. -> These are all what I would refer to as hostiles. Spammers are 'almost' another category. And this is what the Hostiles list is about. Such recently identified hostiles are listed on the security lists to block them out. By recent I mean over the past 18 months because I only took upon this project this year and whilst aware of hostiles from the previous couple of years, I do not know the full history of the block list I inherited from the BearShare blocklist which had not been updated since June or earlier 2011.

Download links for the LimeWire Security Updaters: (choose appropriate version for your system and your choice of security from the folders. Feel free to Bookmark any of these links to periodically check for updates):

* LimeWire Security Updater installers via MediaFire *

* LimeWire Security Updater installers via Sabercat *

(Note: you need to use an up-to-date browser to use MediaFire. Pre-2013 Safari versions struggle to load their pages.)

One other piece of spam and hostile host advice is, if you have any firewall or security software that can block ports, set up a rule to block ports 27016 and 7001 for both UDP and TCP which is only used by spam companies. Windows 7 instructions bottom half of post #31 here.

If anything confuses you or you have any other questions, please feel free to ask. Also, if you find any problems with the installers or the way the security packages work, please let me know as soon as possible. As mentioned at beginning of the post, these have been tested on both Windows and MacOSX with LW 4 and 5. Edit: And Linux, but the hostiles filename & props reference must not use a capital letter on Linux systems. The MediaFire link has 2 options for Linux users, .tar.gz compressed file which is about 3.4 MB or a .7z compressed file which is about 1.3 MB in size.
Another note, these blocklists might conflict with using torrents.

Edit 18 September 2013, removed a character from each of the Full & Light Japanese block lists which prevented a range from working. Not sure how the odd character (looked like the letter a with a mark above it) became inserted, but it has since been removed.