information technology central services at the university of michigan
Creating POP Mail Filters/Rules to Work with SpamBox

S4324 • March 2005

This document provides instructions for creating mail filters/rules that allow POP e-mail programs to work with SpamBox, ITCS'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).

NOTE: This document is also available in Adobe Acrobat PDF and Microsoft Word formats.

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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.

Diagram showing how SpamBox works.

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Turning SpamBox On

You must be using the ITCS e-mail service in order to use SpamBox. SpamBox is installed on the ITCS e-mail servers, so it can only work with ITCS-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 web site:

    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 ITCS 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.

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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. Screen shopt of the Add Rule button.

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

    5. Screen shot of the 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. Screen shot of the Add Header button.

  6. Click OK.

  7. Match these settings to create your SpamBox rule:

    8. Screen shot showing the settings. Basically, create a rule that looks for a header of X-DSPAM-Result: that contains Spam and then moves the message to the SpamBox folder.

Entourage
IMPORTANT! Create a SpamBox folder in Entourage before creating the rule.
  1. From the Tools menu, select Rules.

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

    Screen shot of the Add Header button.

  3. In the Edit Rule dialog box, create a rule with these criteria, then click OK.

    Screen shot of the Add Header button.

  4. The new rule will appear in your list of rules. Close the Rules window.

    Screen shot of the Add Header button.

Eudora
Eudora 6.1 for Windows
IMPORTANT! Create a SpamBox mailbox in Eudora before creating the filter. When you do this, be sure to leave the Make it a folder checkbox unchecked.

  1. From the Tools menu, select Filters.

  2. In the Filters dialog box, click the New button.

    Screen shot of New button.

  3. In the Filters dialog box, do the following:

    Screen shot showing what selections to make: Leave the Incoming checkbox checked. In the Header box, type 'X-DSPAM-Result'. In the box below that, next to the Contains box, type 'Spam'. Under 'Actions,' select 'Transfer To' from the top pop-up menu. Then click the bar/button to the right of that menu and select your SpamBox folder.

  4. Close the Filters window.

  5. In the Save changes to filters? dialog box, click Yes.
Eudora 6.2 for Macintosh
IMPORTANT! Create a SpamBox mailbox in Eudora before creating the filter. When you do this, be sure to leave the Make it a folder checkbox unchecked.

  1. From the Window menu, select Filters.

  2. In the Filters dialog box, click the New button.

    Screen shot of the New button.

  3. In the Filters dialog box, do the following:

    Screen shot showing what selections to make: Leave the Incoming checkbox checked. Type 'X-DSPAM-Result' in the Header box. Type 'Spam' in the box next to 'contains.' Under 'Actions,' select 'Transfer To' from the top pop-up menu. Then click the bar/button to the right of that menu.

  4. The Transfer menu will become active. From the Transfer menu in the menu bar at the top of your screen (not in the Filters dialog box), select SpamBox.

    Screen shot showing selection of SpamBox from the Transfer menu.

  5. Close the Filters window.

  6. In the Save changes to filters? dialog box, click Save.

Mozilla Thunderbird
IMPORTANT! Create a SpamBox folder in Thunderbird before creating the filter.

(These are Windows screen shots. Macintosh users will find the location of buttons and such to be identical, although the appearance will be slightly different.)

  1. From the Tools menu, select Message Filters.

  2. Click the New button.

    3. Screen shot of the New button

  3. In the Filter name box, type SpamBox.

  4. From the Subject pop-up menu, select Customize.

    5. Screen shot showing selection of 'Customize' from the Subject menu.

  5. In the Customize Headers dialog box, do the following:

    Screen shot showing these steps: 1. In the New Message Header box, type 'X-DSPAM-Result.' 2. Click 'Add.' 3. Click 'OK.'

    6. IMPORTANT! You must type X-DSPAM-Result exactly as it appears here, matching the capitalization and lower-case letters and the hyphens.

  6. From the Subject menu, select X-DSPAM-Result.

    7. Screen shot showing selection of 'X-DSPAM-Result' from the Subject menu.

  7. In the Filter Rules dialog box, create your rule as follows:

    Screen shot showing these steps: 1. In the box next to 'contains,' type 'Spam.' 2. Check the 'Move to folder' checkbox. 3. From the pop-up menu next to that, select your SpamBox folder. 4. Click 'OK.'

    8. IMPORTANT! Type Spam exactly as it appears here, beginning with a capital S and using lower-case letters for the rest of the word.

  8. The new filter will appear in your list of filters. Close the Message Filters window.

    Screen shot of filter list.

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

(These are Macintosh screen shots. Windows users will find the buttons and such in the same locations, but the appearance will be slightly different.)

  1. From the Tools menu, select Message Filters.

  2. In the Message Filters window, click the New button.

    3. Screen shot of New button.

  3. Give the new filter a name. In the Filter name box, type SpamBox.

  4. From the Subject pop-up menu, select Customize.

    5. Screen shot showing selection of 'Customize' from the Subject menu.

  5. In the dialog box that opens, do the following:

    Screen shot showing these steps. 1. In the New message header box, type 'X-DSPAM-Result.' 2. Click 'Add.' 3. Click 'OK.'

    IMPORTANT! You must type X-DSPAM-Result exactly as it appears here, matching the capitalization and lower-case letters and the hyphens.

  6. From the Subject pop-up menu, select X-DSPAM-Result.

    7. Screen shot showing selection of 'X-DSPAM-Result' from the Subject menu.

  7. Create the rest of your filter as follows:

    8. Screen shot showing these steps. 1. In the box next to 'contains,' type 'Spam.' 2. Check the 'Move to folder' checkbox. 3. From the pop-up menu to the right of that, select your SpamBox folder. 4. Click 'OK.'

  8. The new filter will be listed in the Message Filters window. Close the window.

    9. Screen shot of the filters list.

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. Screen shot of the New button.

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

    4. Screen shot of the 'Start from a blank rule' radio button.

  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. Screen shot of 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. Screen shot of the 'Specify a word or phrase to search for in the message header' box and the 'Add' button.

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

    7. Screen shot of the search list.

  7. Click Next.

    8. Screen shot of the 'Next' button.

  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. Screen shot of the 'specified' folder link.

  9. Choose your SpamBox folder and click OK.

    10. Screen shot showing selection of the SpamBox folder.

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

    11. Screen shot of the 'Next' button.

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

    12. Screen shot of the exceptions dialog box.

  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. Screen shot of the final step with the 'Finish' button.

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

    14. Screen shot of the rules list.

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.
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Additional Resources

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

We welcome your comments; please send e-mail.

ITCS's Online Help Desk provides a variety of computing help resources.

For further help with SpamBox, send e-mail or phone (734) 764-HELP.

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