Spam Detection Enabled on IronMail


Spam, unsolicited electronic mail typically of a commercial or pornographic nature, has become a major issue over the last few months. In order to help combat the spread of spam, Library and Technology Services has now enabled the spam detection aspect of IronMail. IronMail acts as a gateway to Lehigh’s primary electronic mail server by monitoring all Internet or external mail server traffic entering or exiting the mail server.

Unlike virus detection, spam detection is far from an exact science and IronMail uses a number of different methods to electronically determine whether a message is spam. (Click here for a detailed description of IronMail spam detection methods.) As some valid messages may be inadvertently determined to be spam, all messages will continue to be delivered. Those which IronMail determines may be spam will be marked with [SPAM] in the subject line. It is up to the user to determine what to do with these messages. Some will simply delete them, while others may wish to “filter” them into a separate folder or even into the trash. At this stage of testing, it is recommended that subject lines of messages marked as spam be examined before automatically sending the messages to trash to ensure no valid messages are missed. Select an item below for instructions on setting up filters on various mail clients: In order to continue to refine the rules used by IronMail, please forward a copy of all messages inadvertently flagged as spam (except those of a personal nature) to notspam@lehigh.edu so the reason they were flagged can be determined and rectified. Forward spam which was not detected to spam@lehigh.edu so it can be added to the list of known spam. As these processes are at least somewhat automated, please forward these messages as attachments. To do so within Netscape 4.7x, right-click on the Forward button and select “As Attachment”; within Mozilla or Netscape 7, click on Message, on Forward As, and then on Attachment.

Note that this spam detection is for messages destined for Lehigh’s main mail server. As we do not recommend the use of, or provide support to, departmental mail servers, anyone bothered by spam through those systems must contact the administrator of those systems for details as to what, if anything, is being done to limit spam on those systems. Due to the potential for misconfiguration, which could negatively impact the entire University, student run mail servers are not allowed.

Questions pertaining to spam detection and filtering can be directed to any computing consultant or to the Help Desk at ext. 8-HELP.