How-To: Netinfo/Interchange/Exchange - Setting Up Spam Filtering

Spam (junk email) is an ongoing issue that has no perfect solution. In our efforts to curb Spam, we have added Spam identification features to our Netinfo/Interchange and Exchange Email services. Two methods of Spam detection have been implemented:

• An incoming mail message's originating IP address is checked in a database to see if it matches any known spam hosts or relays. If there is a match, then a header will be added indicating that the message is possibly spam.
• SpamAssassin effectively identifies up to 90%+ of all Spam messages. The mail system scans incoming email and determines whether it is Spam by looking for specific patterns and occurrences in the email headers and text, providing a spam-level score for each email. SpamAssassin uses rules-based analysis to analyze messages for characteristics that indicate whether the messages are Spam or not. Each pattern in a message that matches a rule will add (or subtract) from the total Spam -level rating of the message.  You can set the sensitivity of your Spam detection based on the number of X's in the X- Spam -Level header. The weightings are determined via the use of a genetic algorithm that has proven to be highly effective for the purpose of identifying spam.

Spam Assassin inserts a header in the email that indicates a Spam Rating. The header looks like this:

X-Spam-Level: ********

Where the number of asterisks indicates the likelihood that the message is spam. 

You need to set up a “filter”  to search for the header above, with a number of asterisks.  Generally about 5 are enough to pick up most spam, but you may need to cut this to 4 or 3.

The problem with lowering the number of asterisks is that it's more likely that it will filter out real Email. Be sure to check your Spam folder every once in awhile to make sure that no real Email messages get accidentally filtered.

You can set up most Email applications to look for this header and automatically move tagged messages to a Spam folder. Documentation for configuring the mail clients that can detect this tag are provided below.

Important: The instructions below explain how to move email that is tagged as Spam to a 'Spam' folder. You will still have to go through your 'Spam' folder to evaluate whether any messages were identified incorrectly. This is because although the system in general is usually accurate, false positive (and false negative) identifications do occasionally occur. Once you have checked to make sure that only junk is in the Spam folder, you can delete the messages. It is advised that you do not automatically delete messages, although there is nothing stopping you from doing so.

Note also, that some messages you consider to be spam, may still get through to your Inbox.

These Applications Support Spam Tagging.  See the detailed instructions in the appropriate section below. 

• Outlook XP [PC]
• Outlook 2000 [PC]
• Outlook 98 [PC]
• Outlook Express 5 [Mac]
• Entourage 2001 [Mac]
• Eudora 5.1 [PC/Mac]
• Eudora 3 Light [PC/Mac]
• Netscape Messenger 7 [PC]
• Netscape Messenger 4.77 [PC]
• Mozilla 1.2.1 [PC]
• Mail 1.2.5 [Mac OS X]
• Pine [Unix]

These Applications Do Not Support Spam Tagging

• Outlook Express 6 [PC]
• Outlook Express 5 [PC]
• Outlook Express 4.72 [PC]
• Outlook 97 [PC]
• Netscape Messenger 6.2 [PC]
• Netscape Messenger 4.0x [PC]
• Netscape Mail (Navigator Gold 3) [PC]

Outlook XP [PC]

• Open Outlook.
• Make sure your Folder List is visible.
• If it is not on the screen, click on the View menu and select Folder Lists.
• Create a mail folder called 'Spam'.
• Click on 'Inbox' so that it is highlighted.
• Go to the File menu at the top of the window, select 'Folder' and then 'New Folder...'
• In the Name box, type: Spam
• Click OK.
• In the Tools menu, select Rules Wizard...
• Click New button.
• Select Start from a blank rule.
• Highlight "Check messages when they arrive".
• Click Next.
• Put a checkmark next to "with specific words in the message header".
• In the Rule Description section, click on the "specific words" link.
• Type in: X-Spam-Level: *****   (select the number of asterisks you require)
• Click Add.
• Click OK.
• Click Next.
• Put a checkmark next to "move it to the specified folder".
• In the Rule Description section, click on the "specified" link.
• A window should appear with your folder list. You should see a folder called 'Spam' under your Inbox. Select 'Spam' and click OK.
• Click Next twice
• Click Finish.
• Click OK.
• Close and reopen Outlook XP.

Outlook 98 [PC]

• Open Outlook.
• Make sure your Folder List is visible.
• If it is not on the screen, click on the View menu and select Folder Lists.
• Create a mail folder called 'Spam'.
• Click on 'Inbox' so that it is highlighted.
• Go to the File menu at the top of the window, select 'Folder' and then 'New Folder...'
• In the Name box, type: Spam
• Click OK.
• In the Tools menu, select Rules Wizard...
• Click New... button.
• Highlight "Check messages when they arrive".
• Click Next.
• Put a checkmark next to "with specific words in the message header".
• In the Rule Description section, click on the "specific words" link.
• Type in: X-Spam-Level: ***** (with the number of asterisks you require)
• Click OK.
• Click Next.
• Put a checkmark next to "move it to the specified folder".
• In the Rule Description section, click on the "specified" link.
• A window should appear with your folder list. You should see a folder called 'Spam' under your Inbox. Select 'Spam' and click OK.
• Click Next twice.
• Click Finish.
• Click OK.
• Close and reopen Outlook 98  

Outlook 97 [PC]

• Outlook 97 doesn't support rules.

Eudora 5.1 [PC/Mac]
Eudora Light v3 [PC]

• Open Eudora.
• Create a mail folder called 'Spam'.
• In the Mailbox menu, select New...
• For the name of the new mailbox, type: Spam
• Leave the 'Make it a folder' option unchecked and press OK.
• Go to the Tools menu and select Filters.
• On the Mac, Filters can be found in the Window menu.
• Click on the New button at the bottom of the Filters window.
• Make sure that only the Incoming box is checked.
• Header should be set to "<<Any Header>>".
• The box underneath header should be set to "contains".
• In the blank box next to contains, type: X-Spam-Level: ***** (with the number of asterisks you require)
• Now go down to the Action section and in the first Action box, select "Transfer To".
• Click on the button next to it and select 'Spam'.
• On the Mac, you have to click on the button and then select the 'Spam' folder from the Transfer menu at the top of the window.
• Close the Filters window.
• It will ask you "Save changes to Filters?"
• Click Yes.

Outlook Express 6 [PC]
Outlook Express 5 [PC]
Outlook Express 4.72 [PC]

• Outlook Express supports Email Filters but does not support user defined filters.

Netscape Mail (Navigator Gold 3) [PC]

• Netscape 3 doesn't support rules.

Netscape Messenger 4.77 [PC]

• Open Netscape Messenger.
• Create a mail folder called 'Spam'.
• Go to the File menu and select New Folder...
• In the Name field type: Spam
• The pull down menu below should be set to Local Mail.
• Click OK.
• Go to the Edit menu and select Message Filters...
• The 'Filters for' pull down menu should be set to "Inbox".
• Click on the New button.
• For Filter Name, enter: Spam
• Select "Match any of the following".
• Click on the Advanced button.

• Under New message header, type: X-Spam-Level:
• Click on Add.

• Click OK.
• Select X-Spam-Level: from the first pull down menu.
• The second pull down menu should be set to "contains".

• In the empty box next to contains, type: ***** (with the number of asterisks you require)

• In the pull down menu under the More button, select 'Move to folder'.
• In the next pull down menu over, select 'Spam'.
• Click OK.
• Click OK.

Netscape Messenger 4.0x [PC]
Netscape Messenger 6.2  [PC]

• Netscape 4.0 and 6.2 support Email Filters but do not support user defined filters.

Mozilla 1.2.1 [PC]
Netscape Messenger 7 [PC]

• Open Mozilla or Netscape Messenger and access the Mail section.
• Create a mail folder called 'Spam'.
• Go to the File menu and select New and then Folder...
• In the Name field type: Spam
• The pull down menu below should be set to Local Mail.
• Click OK.
• Go to the Tools menu and select Message Filters...
• Click on the New button.
• For Filter Name, enter: Spam
• Select "Match any of the following"
• In the first pull down menu, select Customize...
• Under New message header, type: X-Spam-Level:
• Click on Add.
• Click OK.
• Select X-Spam-Level: from the first pull down menu.
• The second pull down menu should be set to "contains".
• In the empty box next to contains, type: ***** (type the number of asterisks you require)
• In the pull down menu next to Perform this action, select Move to folder.
• In the next pull down menu, select the Spam folder located in the 'Local Folders' section.
• Click OK.
• Close the Message Filters window.

Outlook Express 5.0 [Mac]

• Open Outlook Express.
• Make sure your Folder List is visible.
• If it is not on the screen, click on the View menu and select Folder Lists.
• Create a mail folder called 'Spam'.
• Click on 'Inbox' so that it is highlighted.
• Go to the File menu at the top of the window, select 'New' and then 'Folder'.
• A new folder will appear in your folder list. Type: Spam
• Press Enter
• Go to the Tools menu and select Rules.
• Make sure that the Mail (POP) tab is selected.
• Click on the New button.
• For Rule Name, type: Spam
• The first pull down menu entitled 'Execute' should be set to "if all criteria are met".
• In the next pull down menu, select Specific header.
• In the box next to it, type: X-Spam-Level:
• The next pull down menu should be set to Contains.
• In the box to the right of that, type: ***** (type the number of asterisks you require)
• In the section below, select 'Move message' from the first pull down menu.
• In the pull down menu next to it, select the 'Spam' folder that you just created.
• Make sure that Enabled is checked.
• Click OK.
• Make sure that there is a checkmark next to the listed rule called Spam.
• Close the Rules window.

Entourage 2001 [Mac]

• Open Entourage.
• Make sure your Folder List is visible.
• If it is not on the screen, click on the View menu and select Folder Lists.
• Create a mail folder called 'Spam'.
• Click on 'Inbox' so that it is highlighted.
• Go to the File menu at the top of the window, select 'New' and then 'Folder'.
• A new folder will appear in your folder list. Type: Spam
• Press Enter
• Go to the Tools menu and select Rules.
• Make sure that the Mail (POP) tab is selected.
• Click on the New button.
• For Rule Name, type: Spam
• The first pull down menu entitled 'Execute' should be set to "if all criteria are met".
• In the next pull down menu, select Specific header.
• In the box next to it, type: X-Spam-Level:
• The next pull down menu should be set to Contains.
• In the box to the right of that, type: ***** (type the number of asterisks you require)
• In the section below, select 'Move message' from the first pull down menu.
• In the pull down menu next to it, select the 'Spam' folder that you just created.
• There might be a second row in the lower section with Set Category in the first pull down menu. If there is, highlight this row and click on the Remove Action button.
• Make sure that Enabled is checked.
• Click OK.
• Make sure that there is a checkmark next to the listed rule called Spam.
• Close the Rules window.

Mail 1.2.5 [Mac]

• Open Mail (OS X)
• Create a mail folder called 'Spam'.
• Go to the Mailbox menu and select 'New Mailbox...'
• In the Name field, type: Spam
• Click OK
• In the Mail pull down menu, select Preferences...
• Click on the Rules section on the right side.
• Click on the Add Rule button.
• For the Description, type: Spam
• Under where it says "If any of the following conditions are met", select Edit Header List... from the pull down menu.
• In the Header box, type: X-Spam-Level:
• Click on the Add Header button.
• Click OK.
• Select X-Spam-Level: from the same pull down menu.
• The pull down menu next to it should be set to Contains.
• In the next box, type: ***** (type the number of asterisks you require)
• Under "Perform the following actions:", select 'Transfer Message'.
• In the next box, select the 'Spam' mailbox that you created.
• Click OK.
• Close the Preferences window.

Pine [Unix]

• Open Pine.
• Create a mail folder called 'Spam'.
• Press L for Folder List.
• Press A to add a folder.
• Type: Spam
• Press Enter.
• At the Main Menu, type S for Setup.
• Press R to access the Rules section.
• Press F for Filters.
• Press A to add a New Filter.
• Highlight the Nickname option and press C to change its value.
• Remove its contents and type: Spam.
• Press <Enter>.
• Press X to add a new header field.
• It will ask you to "Enter the name of the header field to be added:". Type in: X-Spam-Level:  and press <Enter>.
• Highlight this newly created rule and press C to Change its value.
• "Enter the text to be added:", type: *****  and press <Enter>.
• Move down to the Current Folder Type section and highlight Email and press <Enter>.
• Move down to the Filter Action section and highlight Move and press <Enter>.
• Move down to the 'to Folder' section and press A to modify the value. Type in: Spam
• Press Enter.
• Note: Be sure that the folder name is typed in correctly and has the same case as the name of the Folder you specified earlier.
• Press E to exit the Filter Setup screen.
• Press Y to commit the changes that you made.
• Press E to exit Setup.
• Press Y to commit the changes that you made.