SpamAssassin Mail Client Configuration

OneNet utilizes SpamAssassin to filter inbound email for OneNet clients that are using OneNet's mail services and opt to utilize the application. Please note that the network does not block any email. Rather, additional information is added to email headers to indicate the probability of the email being spam based on the following tactics:

• Header Analysis:  spammers use a number of tricks to mask their identities, attempting to fool you into thinking they have sent a valid email or that you have subscribed to an email list.
• Text analysis:  spam mails often have characteristics such as disclaimers, and removal text.
• Razor:  Vipul's Razor is a collaborative spam tracking database that works by obtaining a signature of spam messages.  Since spam usually operates by sending an identical message to multiple, often hundreds of people, Razor attempts to thwart this by allowing the first person to receive the message to add it to the database then everyone else will automatically block it.

Any message smaller than 250k is scanned and addtional headers are added.  These headers contain spam indicators which the email clients can utilize to filter for spam.  The headers are:

X-Spam-Flag: YES
X-Spam-Level: *******  (The number of stars indicate the possibility of spam)

The greater the number of asterisks indicated on the X-Spam-Level header, the greater the possibility the email is spam.  Seven asterisks has been a fairly safe number in our tests however, you should experiment with your email to determine the level you wish to set your filter to.  Edit the number of asterisks as necessary. OneNet does not currently recommend relying on the X-Spam-Flag:  YES as a method of filtering.

Setting up email clients to filter

Microsoft Outlook Express (does not support filtering on optional headers)
Microsoft Outlook 2000/XP
Netscape 7
Eudora 5.x

Microsoft Outlook 2000/XP

1. Right click on your "Inbox" and choose "New folder"
2. Type SPAM as the folder name then click OK.
3. Click on the Tools menu then Rules Wizard.
4. The Rules Wizard window will pop up.  Click New. [ View Image ]
5. Choose "Check Messages when they arrive" and click Next. [ View Image ]
6. Check the box for "With <Specific Words> in the Message header". [ View Image ]
7. Click the "Specific words" link.  A Search Text window will pop up.  Enter the following header without quotes.  [ View Image ]
                   "X-Spam-Level: *******"
    (enter the number of asterisks you determine is right for you however OneNet does not recommend less than 7)
8. Click "Move it to the specified folder." [ View Image ]
9. Choose the "Spam" folder you created in step 1 then click OK.[ View Image ]
10. Click "Finish" then OK.[ View Image 1] [ View Image 2]

Netscape 7

1. Click on the Tools menu then Message Filters.
2. The Filter Rules window will pop up.  Click New.
3. Enter SPAM as the filter name. [View Image]
4. Select Customize on the drop down menu under Subject.
5. The Customize Headers window will pop up. Enter X-Spam-Level: Click Add then OK.
6. Select X-Spam-Level: on drop down menu under Subject. [View Image]
7. Enter ******* (seven asterisks) in the text box on the Filter Rules dialog box beside contains. [View Image]
    (enter the number of asterisks you determine is right for you however OneNet does not recommend less than 7)
8. Select Move to folder then select New Folder.
9. Enter SPAM as the name of the new folder on the New folder dialog box. Select the location to place new folder then select OK. [View Image]
10. Select OK then OK.
11. Be sure the Enabled option is selected and click OK. [View Image]

Eudora 5.x

[ View Complete setup Image ]

1. Click on the Tools menu then Filters.
2. Click New.
3. Highlight the 'untitled' rule just created.
4. Check only Incoming and change HEADER to say <<Any Header>>
5. Select contains on the pulldown menu below Header.
6. Enter X-Spam-Level: ******* in the text box next to contains.
7. Under Action, select Transfer to.
8. Single click on In button next to Transfer to and select New.
9. Enter SPAM as new mailbox name then click OK.
10. Under second Action item, select Skip Rest.
11. Close Filters box or select another tab and select Yes when prompted to save changes to filters.

 

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