Telecommunications & Network Services

Spam

Telecommunications & Network Services has implemented server-side Spam checking on the e-mail server. In-coming e-mail messages from off-campus sources are scanned for specific key words and other elements commonly used in Spam. If the specific words or elements are detected, the scan program determines a level of probability that the message is Spam, and labels that message appropriately. Then the marked message is delivered on to the original addressee. The underlying concept is that the addressee now can review messages as probably being Spam, before actually opening and reading the labeled messages.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is Spam, and how does it affect the campus?
  2. How has Spam been controlled in the past?
  3. Why are messages now being scanned?
  4. Isn't scanning an invasion of privacy?
  5. How do I set up a filter to get rid of Spam?

What is Spam, and how does it affect the campus?

Spam is defined as "unsolicited, bulk e-mail messages". Spam clogs up the campus e-mail system and slows it down. Spam also fills up individual mail boxes with unwanted, junk e-mail messages.

How has Spam been controlled in the past?

Previous efforts to contain this problem involved blocking the originating addresses. This attempted control suffered from two problems. First, Spammers were coming up with new addresses faster than the addresses could be listed for blocking. Second, some Spammers used legitimate e-mail addresses, and blocking those addresses caused a few problems for legitimate e-mail being sent to the campus.

Why are messages now being scanned?

The anti-spam software solves both of the limitations inherent in blocking addresses, and the system gives the end-user the options of reading the labeled messages, or automatically removing labeled messages using filters.

Isn't scanning an invasion of privacy?

No, because no human is involved, and because the scan program does not record or save any messages for future review. The scan program only looks for words and patterns that match commonly-used Spam terms.

How do I set up a filter to get rid of Spam?

In Thunderbird 2.0 or later

  1. Go to the Tools menu and select Message Filters...
  2. Click the New... button
  3. Type in a name for the filter next to Filter name:
  4. Under For incoming messages that: select Subject from the drop-down menu
  5. Select begins with from the drop-down menu next to Subject
  6. Type [Spam] in the text box next to begins with
  7. Under Perform these actions select Move messages to from the drop-down menu
  8. Select a mailbox to send Spam messages to by selecting the mailbox from the drop-down menu.
  9. Click the OK button.
  10. This brings you back to your filter box. You can close this window by clicking the X in the upper-right corner.

In Outlook Express 6

  1. Go to the Tools menu then the Message Rules sub-menu and select Mail...
  2. Click the New... button. If you have no previous mail rules skip to the next step.
  3. Where it says 1. Select the conditions for your rule: check Where the subject line contains specific words.
  4. Where it says 2. Select the Actions for your rule: check Move it to the specified folder
  5. The above actions will put lines in the text box below 3. Rule description (click an underlined value to edit it):.
  6. Click contains specific words. Type [Spam] and click the Add button. Then click the OK button.
  7. Click specified. If you already have a folder to use select it and click the OK button. Otherwise click the New Folder button, type Junk, click the OK button, select the Junk folder, and click the OK button.
  8. The text box should now read:

    Apply this rule after the message arrives
    Where the Subject line contains '[Spam]'
    Move it to the Junk folder

  9. Where it says 4. Name of the rule: type the name of the rule (i.e. Spam messages).
  10. Click the OK button.

In Web Mail (Delegated Administrator)

  1. Log in to your Delegated Administrator page
  2. Choose the Set Mail Filter option
  3. Choose the Add... button
      4. To automatically move [Spam] tagged email into a folder named Junk... File to Folder Screenshot
    • Select a mail filter: File To Folder
    • Name: [Spam] Filter
    • If the header line: [Spam]
    • Then file into the folder: Junk

This will set up a filter for messages determined most likely to be spam. If you receive a message you feel has been erroneously tagged please report it Chad Cordero at: ccordero@csusb.edu.