ITS spam filtering uses a wide variety of local and network tests to identify possible spam messages arriving at the UA mail server. Each email message sent to you is run through a multitude of tests, resulting in it being given a “spam score/level”. The tests performed make it harder for spammers to identify ways to craft their messages to work around our filters.
Here is an example of a portion of an email header with the spam score:
X-Spam-Score: 4.855
X-Spam-Level: ****
X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang 2.45
This score is indicated numerically via the X-Spam-Score, and indicated graphically with a quantity of asterisks via the X-Spam-Level. The higher the score, the more likely the email message is spam. It is this score/level that you use to filter out spam.
NOTE: Incoming email messages larger than 100KB are not scanned or assigned spam scores/levels. Also, email messages that would have received a score of less than 1 (one) will not have spam score headers added.
There are two ways to set up spam filtering: Server-side and Client-side. ITS recommends setting up Server-side rules.
| Server-side | Client-side |
|---|---|
| Email messages are filtered before they reach your INBOX. | Filtering only occurs when you start up your email software. |
| Junk email messages will not reach your account if you set up filters to delete them. This prevents you from going over quota if you don't check your messages often. |
Junk email messages are still delivered to your INBOX, and will count against your quota until they are deleted when you start up your email software. |
| Your email client will open more quickly, since you will not have to wait for the filtering to take place before your INBOX opens. | When you start up your email software, you will have to wait for filtering to take place. |
| Your email will be filtered regardless which email client you use to read your email messages. | You will have to set up rules in each client you use to read your email messages. |
* If you choose to set up Client-side filtering, you must first use Webmail (the ITS supplied email software client) to "Enable Spam Filtering". This must be done so that the new ITS filtering tool can start assigning a spam score to your email messages. (Note: This is NOT needed for MS Exchange/Outlook Server-side filtering.) The enabling process is accomplished via the "Options" menu within WebMail - this MUST be done before you set up any filtering rules. Point your browser to webmail.albany.edu and log on with your netid and UNIX password. On the initial Webmail screen click on "Options", then click the "Mail Filtering" link, and then click "Enable Spam Filtering". Please read the disclaimer presented to you, and then click "Agree" in order to start assigning spam scores to your future email messages. You may then click on the "Sign Out" link at the top right of the Webmail screen, or you may wish to set up a rule that will run on the server. You may now create spam filtering rules using the email software of your choice.