Advanced Spam Filtering for Exchange

By Joshua Erdman
Digital Foundation, inc.

If you are running Exchange 2000 or older, you will need to upgrade, if you are running Exchange 2003 or Exchange 2003 SP1, your options are limited.  Your best bet is to be running Exchange 2003 with Service Pack 2.

Configuring the SMTP Protocol

First you must enable each type of spam filtering by going into the properties of the SMTP protocol for each Exchange Server you have sending and receiving mail on the Internet.

1. Open Exchange System Manager
2. Open the Server
3. Open protocols-> SMTP
4. Right Click the SMTP virtual server and go to properties
5. Choose the Advanced button where you specify the IP address
6. Edit each IP address entry (Typically it just says 'unassigned' for the default settings).
7. Turn on each Spam Filtering Device you intend to use.  For the purposes of this article that would be:
     Sender ID
     Intelligent Message Filter
     Connection Filter

The Connection Filter is for Setting up BlackLists.

Configuring each Spam Filtering Service

Now you must open the Message Delivery Settings to configure the specifics for each service.

1. Open Exchange System Manager
2. Open Global Settings
3. Right Click Message Delivery and choose properties. There is one property tab for each filtering service

Intelligent Message Filter

This is the easiest of the settings:

Change the SCL filtering settings as you see fit.

Configuring Sender ID

This is just as easy as Intelligent Message Filtering:

Configuring Connection Filtering

You will want to create a new connection filter for each Blacklist you want to query.  I recommend using two different filters, but don't go crazy, if you add too many you can greatly reduce the performance of your mail server.  Refer to our article on RBLs for specifics on good RBL providers.

Here is an example configuration to reference the list of Open Relays from ORDB:

The best part is ORDB  provides access to this list for FREE!  Do your part and show them your appreciation by sending an annual donation.

Share your thoughts  on our forum:
Exchange SP2

References:
RBL - Realtime Blacklist Filtering

 

Article last reviewed: 04/11/2006

Created by: Digital Foundation, inc. Copyright © 2002-2005 Digital Foundation, inc. www.networkclue.com
	All content of the NetworkClue website is copyrighted. Articles, notes, outlines, and all other materials may not be stored on the Internet or sold or placed by themselves or with other material in any electronic or printed format in whole or part. However materials may be referenced by links to the site.