SpamBox works only with the ITS IMAP email service. Google Mail has its own spam filtering.

Creating POP Mail Filters/Rules to Work with SpamBox

This document provides instructions for creating mail filters/rules that allow POP e-mail programs to work with SpamBox, ITS's content filtering tool for spam. For general information about SpamBox, see Using SpamBox for E-Mail Spam Filtering (S4323). To find out whether you are using POP for your mail, see How to Tell If You Are Using IMAP or POP for Your E-Mail (S4322).

How SpamBox Works with POP Programs

If you use POP for your e-mail, you download your messages to your computer and create folders for managing your mail there.

SpamBox tags messages it suspects to be spam. You will then need to create a filter or rule in your POP e-mail program to move the tagged messages to a SpamBox folder on your computer.

Turning SpamBox On

You must be using the ITS e-mail service in order to use SpamBox. SpamBox is installed on the ITS e-mail servers, so it can only work with ITS-provided mailboxes.

WARNING! Some U-M departments provide their own e-mail services. Before turning SpamBox on, please check with your department's information technology help desk to see if you are currently using one of these services. Many departmental e-mail services already provide spam filtering.

Use the SpamBox Setup Wizard

1. Use your web browser to go to the Tools to Reduce Spam page on the Spam Busters website:

   NOTE: If you ever want to turn SpamBox off, return to this URL, and you will have the option to do so.

2. Click the SpamBox link.

3. Log in with your uniqname and UMICH password.

4. Select the POP e-mail program you use, then click Continue.

5. You will be asked whether your program is set up for IMAP or POP. Click the POP radio button and continue.

6. You'll be notified that SpamBox has been turned on for your ITS e-mail mailbox.

Using Your E-Mail Program, Create a SpamBox Folder/Mailbox

• See your program's documentation for instructions for creating a folder or mailbox. Name the folder SpamBox.

Create a Filter or Rule to Move the Mail Tagged as Spam by SpamBox to your SpamBox folder

• Instructions are provided in the section below for many of the POP programs used at U-M.

Filter/Rule Creation Instructions

In general, you need to create a filter or rule that looks in the message header for one of these conditions (depending on how your program sets filters/rules):

• X-DSPAM-Result with a value of Spam

• X-DSPAM-Result: Spam

and then moves such messages to your SpamBox folder.

Apple's Mail Application

IMPORTANT! Create a SpamBox folder in Mail before creating the rule.

1. From the Mail menu, select Preferences.

2. In the icon bar, click the Rules button.

3. Click the Add Rule button.

   

4. From the From pop-up menu, select Edit Header List.

   

5. In the Header box, type this text exactly, matching capitalization and spelling:
   X-DSPAM-Result:

   Then click the Add Header button.

   

6. Click OK.

7. Match these settings to create your SpamBox rule:

   

Outlook

IMPORTANT! Create a SpamBox folder in Outlook before creating the rule.

These screen shots are from Outlook in Microsoft Office XP. If you use a different version, it may look slightly different from this.

1. From the Tools menu, select Rules Wizard.

2. In the Rules Wizard, click the New button.

   

3. Click the Start from a blank rule radio button, and click Next.

   

4. Scroll down the Which condition(s) do you want to check? list, and check the checkbox next to with specific words in the message header.

   Your selection will then appear in the Rule description box at the bottom of the window. Click the specific words link.

   

5. In the Specify a word or phrase to search for in the message header box, type this text:
   X-DSPAM-Result: Spam

   IMPORTANT! You must match the capitalization and spacing exactly, or the rule will not work.

   Then click Add.

   

6. The text will now be in the search list. Click OK.

   

7. Click Next.

   

8. In the What do you want to do with the message? list, check the move it to the specified folder checkbox.

   That selection will appear in the box below. Click the specified folder link.

   

9. Choose your SpamBox folder and click OK.

   

10. Your SpamBox folder is now specified in the Rule description box. Click Next.

    

11. If you want any exceptions for the rule, you can specify them here. Click Next.

    

12. You are asked to give the rule a name. Leave the name as X-DSPAM-Result: Spam if you like. Or give it a name like SpamBox.

    Click Finish.

    

13. Your new rule will be listed in the Rules Wizard. Click OK.

    

Outlook Express (Won't Work with SpamBox with POP; Use IMAP)

Outlook Express using POP won't work with SpamBox as it is currently set up. Outlook Express cannot create a rule or filter that checks the message header. Outlook Express using IMAP, however, will work okay with SpamBox.

Additional Resources

Visit ITS's Information System to obtain ITS computer documentation and other resources. A list of relevant documents follows:

• How to Tell If You Are Using IMAP or POP for Your E-Mail (S4322)

• Using SpamBox for E-Mail Spam Filtering (S4314)

The ITS Service Center provides a variety of computing help resources.

For further help with this or any other topic, call 734-764-HELP [4357] or submit an online service request.