Division of Information Technology

Spam Filter Instructions

With the increased use of email as a universal communication tool, more spam (unsolicited or malicious email) is generated every day. The Division of Information Technology (DoIT) uses anti-spam software to filter spam and mark suspect spam email so individuals can easily set criteria and ranking. If a message is identified as spam, it will be deleted and not delivered to the user. If a message is suspected as spam, '{Spam?}' will be inserted at the beginning of its subject line. Messages identified as spam can be manually deleted or automatically filtered to a designated folder.

 

Create a folder to store the Spam

Before you setup a spam filter, create a folder or mailbox in your email application to store the spam messages. For easy identification, call this folder/mailbox Spam. Note: Spam can be filtered directly to the Trash if desired.

Next follow the appropriate instructions for your email program.

inside SF State e-mail
Windows Eudora
Mac Eudora
Webmail

 

inside SF State e-mail

inside SF State e-mail has a filtering feature that lets you create rules to organize your incoming mail, sort it into folders, and delete spam.

Creating a Filter

The email server identifies suspect junk mail and inserts {Spam?} in the Subject line of your email message. To create a filter to sort this spam into a folder, for example, do the following:

  1. Select the Mail tab.
  2. Create a folder labeled Spam (if one is not already created) by performing the following 2 steps:
    1. Right-click (control + click on the Mac) on the Folders icon and select New.
    2. In the Folder Name field, type Spam and select the OK button.
  3. Select the Tools button, then select New Mail Rule.
  4. Type Spam in the Rule Name field.
  5. Verify that the Status Enabled radio button is selected.
  6. Under the Specify Conditions section, select Subject from the 1st drop down menu.
  7. Select contains from the second drop down menu.
  8. Type {Spam?} in the next field.
  9. Select the Add >> button.
  10. In the Specify actions section, select move to folder in the Create actions 1st drop down menu.
  11. Click on the folder icon and select the Spam folder from the drop down menu, then select OK.
  12. Click the Add >> button.
  13. Select OK. New messages with {Spam?} in the subject line will automatically be filtered to your Spam folder.

 

Modifying Filter Options

  1. Click on the Tools icon button, then select View Mail Rules.
  2. Double-click on the rule you want to modify and make needed modifications.
  3. When done, select OK

 

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Windows Eudora

  1. Create a Spam folder or mailbox. (Select Mailbox -> New... and type Spam in the Name field).
  2. Select Tools -> Filters.
  3. Click the New button.
  4. In the Match section, check the Incoming box.
  5. Select <<Any Header>> from the Header field.
  6. In the Contains field, type {Spam?}
  7. In the Action section,
    select Transfer to.
  8. Click on the button and select the Spam mailbox or folder.
  9. Close the Filter window, Save changes when prompted.

    New messages will be automatically filtered.
    Detailed Windows Eudora Filter instructions are available from the Eudora manual.
 Win Eudora Filters Window

 

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Mac Eudora

  1. Create a Spam folder or mailbox. (Select Mailbox -> New... and type Spam in the Name field).
  2. Select Window -> Filters.
  3. Click the New button.
  4. In the Match: section check the Incoming box.
  5. Select <<Any Header>> from the drop down menu.
  6. In the Contains field, type {Spam?}
  7. In the Actions: section,
    select Transfer to
  8. Then select the Spam mailbox or folder.
  9. Close the Filter window, Save changes when prompted.

New messages will be automatically filtered.
Detailed Macintosh Eudora Filter instructions are available from the Eudora manual.

 Mac Eudora Filters Window

 

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Webmail (webmail.sfsu.edu)

  1. Create a Spam folder. (Click Folders, select Create Folder from Choose Action menu and type Spam).
  2. Select Options.
  3. Select Filters.
  4. Select Edit your filter rules.
  5. Check the Subject: box.
  6. In the Text field enter: {Spam?}
  7. In the Action section check move message to.
  8. Select the Spam folder from the drop down menu.
    Webmail rule definition
  9. Click the Create button. New messages will be automatically filtered.

 

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San Francisco State University

Last Modified: 30 May 2007
doit@sfsu.edu