Spam Filtering Revisted

[hpprod]

Hey Ya'll -

Just wanted to revisit the whole server-side Spam Filtering issue. We use Linux with Plesk 7.5 Reloaded CP. That comes with the standard SpamAssasin, and we've even used 4PSA's Spam software (which seems to be a hyp'd version of SpamAssasin).

SpamAssasin isn't coming close to getting the job done for our customers, so I'm wondering what options we have out there for server-side spam filtering that will really do a good job and would be compatible with Plesk (which uses qmail).

One of the big complaints from customers who transfer to our servers is that "I never got so much spam until we transferred to yoru hosting - when we were with "the other company" ... we didn't get near as much spam.

We're not selling off the pop3 addresses, that's for sure - so either other hosts (hostdime.com in this case) are simply providing better server-side spam filteirng than us, or my servers' mail accounts are perhaps getting compromised somehow.

I'd really appreciate your help!

 

[phoenixisp]

Are you using Spamassassin "out of the box?" Have you added rule sets or better yet, are you using rules_du_jour? Are you using MAPS?

You may want to visit ART (atomicrocketturtle.com) and look into his Gamera project. It's basically an email gateway using ClamAV, Spamassassin and qmail scanner. Works great and takes some load off of your Plesk server. However you will need a server that is not running Plesk for Gamera.

 

[hpprod]

Originally posted by phoenixisp
Are you using Spamassassin "out of the box?" Have you added rule sets or better yet, are you using rules_du_jour? Are you using MAPS?

You may want to visit ART (atomicrocketturtle.com) and look into his Gamera project. It's basically an email gateway using ClamAV, Spamassassin and qmail scanner. Works great and takes some load off of your Plesk server. However you will need a server that is not running Plesk for Gamera.

Hey -
Well, let me demonstrate my ignorance here. When you say "out of the box" ... yes, I'm using the SpamAssasin that comes configured automatically with Plesk. I have the Server Wide settings down to "4 hits required for spam", which I've found to be as aggressive as I can be without removing legitimate mail.

I used to subscribe to some blacklist sites via MAPS ... need to go back and see if those are still active.

As for "ClamAV or rules_du_jour" - I have no clue what that is, and even more - I have no idea what "Gamera" is?

Please advise this "not so newbie", but "feels like a pre-newbie".

Thanks, PhoenixISP - I *REALLY* appreciate you takign the time to give a fresh reply of help to something that's likely been covered already a thousand times. I REALLY do appreciate it!

 

[phoenixisp]

There are different ways that you can "juice up" Spamassassin. Adding rule sets is a good idea, check this site out

http://www.rulesemporium.com/rules.htm

Read carefully and be sure that the rule set you want to add are compatible with your version of Spamassassin. You want to download the rule sets to your /etc/mail/spamassassin directory. To make sure all is well run:

#spamassassin -D --lint

If there is a problem with the configuration there will be a message telling you so. If all is well restart spamassassin to implement the new rules.

Rules Du Jour is mentioned on the same page as the rule sets. A cron job can be set up so that the selected rule sets can be updated on a daily basis.

Gamera is a project that ART has that sets a box up to do nothing but "cleanse" email. ClamAV is a free antivirus program used for this setup.

 

[atomicturtle]

Gamera is a 300 foot tall fire breathing Atomic Rocket Turtle, that is also the friend of all children.

Project Gamera, is a dedicated anti-spam, anti-virus application layer firewall/smtp gateway. Its intended as a higher-performance version of a similiar project I put together for PSA boxes (qmail-scanner).

For your general purpose PSA, 4PSA, or ART qmail-scanner implementation of Spamassassin, I recommend augmenting the scanning by adding in Razor, DCC, and pyzor. They're available in my archive:

yum install razor-agents pyzor dcc

will do the trick

 

[hpprod]

hey -
please see the PM sent re: your consulting and help!