Anti-Spam Tools

The spam is a huge thread to the modern business. It wastes lots of time in the first place as reading and removing spam messages can be really challenging. Various anti-spam solutions help fighting trash messages, but only 80-90%. The rest must be done manually.

The main Anti-Spam tool is simple filters set on the server. Filters are specific automatic rules what to do with particular messages before they are saved on server and delivered to a mailbox. The rules are created using PHP or ASP syntax. The rule looks very simple – “if recipient is name@domain.com and subject have [banned words] filter as spam – true”. Of course this is coded using the programming language. Creating such filters is an easy task. Administrator just needs to enter some specific information which emails will not be let through:

• if subject or body contains specific list of words (every word is added separately).

• if sender is specific email address or specific domain.

• if message contains the specific attachment of specific size.

Once it is added, the customer also need to set what actions should be performed if such emails come – sent to special spam folder or left without saving it on server.

These filters are created by the administrator. If users are using specific email software, additional filters can be added in the software.

How To Fight Against Spam

The fight against spam is done in three levels.

• 1 level. Server side and filter management tool automatically blocks adult content which already contain the long list of most used spam words and their variations related to nudity ant illegal content.

• 2 level. System administrator adds specific filters to fight the spam. The filters are updated from time to time or on demand. It allows not letting the spam email in to the mail server.

• 3 level. Users use specific webmail applications or email software in their computers which also have possibility to filter the spam which come through the server filters. The same actions can be performed – exact emails or domains may be blocked, specific content can be eliminated or emails of specific size.

The main and most popular spam fighting tool for administrators is Apaches’s SpamAssassin application, which is free. SpamAssasin is server based application for the filter management, as sometimes there can be lots of different filters and managing them become complicated. This handy tool is installed in every web hosting plan. if customer uses cPanel or DirectAdmin control panels in VPS hosting, SpamAssasin can be installed together with other applications with just a few clicks.

There some more paid and free spam fight tools both on the server and to the end user.

Antivirus software also helps fighting spam with the malicious software or scripts in the HTML messages, even though it is not their primary goal.

How Host1Plus Fights Against Spam

Spam annoys everyone and has negative impact on every business. Why spam is so harmful? There are few answers, but the main reasons are the following:

• Deleting spam messages manually wastes lots of time for the employee.

• Important messages may be lost in the pile of spam.

• Spam contains deceitful information which can cause personal loss of money.

• Spam messages contain links to some malicious webpages which can catch the computer virus and infect the entire network of computers in the office. The loss may be huge if valuable information is gone.

• These are just a few reasons, why spam must be fought. Host1Plus is taking some measures to fight it as much as possible. Host1Plus has introduces various spam fighting tools for different hosting plans.

VPS hosting users can install their own spam fighting tools as all email management applications are usually installed manually by the system administrators of the customer. Host1Plus administrators can help on demand. Support may consult what application can be installed in order to fight spam using VPS hosting.

Shared hosting plans have already got some installed features as user cannot install other email applications. The basic spam protection consists of two applications – spam filters and SpamAssasin, which is actually a filter manager as well.

Host1Plus admins also observe all the newest and most effective solutions to fight spam which makes everyone unhappy and annoyed. Customer support is always ready to consult every customer about spam fighting methods available to all kinds of hosting services.

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