When messages are blocked by a blacklist, you have the option of automatically deleting them, moving them to a designated folder, or forwarding them to another address (such as an Exchange public folder!) for later review. While querying DNS blacklists will slow down the message reception process somewhat, it is a highly effective tool, especially when used in conjunction with the MailEssentials whitelist feature. To account for this, GFI MailEssentials can be configured to query the ORDB or other such databases, and to either allow or deny mail from these sources. Almost all spam received by users comes from a common source mail servers that are not properly secured, those that allow mail to be relayed through them. One of the most popular is the list of open relay servers maintained by, the Open Relay Database.
Secondly, instead of trying to manually block the individual email addresses associated with incoming spam messages (which are usually false anyhow), GFI MailEssentials is also capable of using what are known as third-part DNS blacklists (explained shortly) to block potential spam sources.ĭNS blacklists are databases of known spammers that are maintained by various organizations on the web. This helps to ensure that incoming mail from these users is never considered to be spam, and is delivered as normal. First, you can configure your whitelist settings such that when any user in your organization send a message to an external person, that address is automatically considered valid and added to the whitelist. While individual addresses and/or entire domains can be added to these lists manually, the process can also be automated in two key ways. A blacklist is basically the opposite a list of addresses from which you never want to receive mail. A whitelist is simply a list of email addresses, maintained by GFI MailEssentials, which includes all addresses from which you always wish to receive mail for example, your customers, suppliers, and so forth. However, the use of blacklists and its patented whitelist is what really sets GFI MailEssentials 8 apart from the competition.įor those not familiar with these terms, blacklists and whitelists are among the most effective ways to eliminate spam. Keyword and message header checking are still a central component, including a great default list that includes many of the most commonly used spam keywords. With GFI MailEssentials 8, it seems that GFI has recognized the need for a much higher level of spam detection in order for their product to reach maximum effectiveness.
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While this method is effective for blocking spam messages that include offers of university diplomas, cheap mortgages, and a variety of free offers, the creation and maintenance of the keyword lists can be cumbersome, especially based on the increasing creativity of spammers in getting their messages through to end users. In the past, the product had relied on very common anti-spam capabilities in the form of keyword lists that needed to be manually created. Version 8 marks a new beginning for GFI MailEssentials. Quite simply, companies need the ability to both monitor and manage email resources as necessary for both legal and/or security reasons more than ever before. On the flipside, providing users with access to email also comes with a security risk in that it provides a facility by which users can easily forward data to other users or even customers, be it sensitive corporate information or simply inappropriate content. Spam is not only intrusive and annoying, but also costly in terms of server storage space and user time. If your network is like most, your users are likely inundated with almost unmanageable levels of junk email. Striking a balance between securing network resources and ensuring that users have the tools they need to do their job presents a difficult quandary for IT managers and network administrators alike.