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    Email Spam Filters

    Reduce spam with SpamAssassin and email filters to keep your inbox clean.

    Table of Contents

    What is SpamAssassin?

    SpamAssassin is an automated email filtering system that uses various tests to identify spam. It assigns a score to each email, and emails exceeding a threshold are marked as spam.

    Enabling SpamAssassin

    1

    Access Apache SpamAssassin

    1. Log in to your cPanel account
    2. Navigate to the "Email" section
    3. Click on "Spam Filters" or "Apache SpamAssassin"
    2

    Enable Protection

    Click the "Enable Apache SpamAssassin" button and wait for confirmation that it's been enabled.

    Configuring Spam Threshold

    The spam threshold determines how aggressive the filtering is:

    5

    Default - Balanced

    Catches most spam with few false positives

    3-4

    Aggressive

    Catches more spam but may flag legitimate email

    6-8

    Lenient

    Fewer false positives but may miss some spam

    To Adjust the Threshold:

    1. In Spam Filters, look for "Spam Threshold Score"
    2. Use the slider or enter a number
    3. Click "Update Scoring Options"

    Setting Up Email Filters

    Email filters allow you to automatically handle spam and other messages.

    Creating a Spam Filter

    1. Go to "Email Filters" in cPanel
    2. Select the email account to filter
    3. Click "Create a New Filter"
    4. Name your filter (e.g., "Move Spam to Folder")

    Move Spam to Spam Folder

    Rules:
  Spam Status: contains "Yes"
  
Actions:
  Deliver to folder: spam

    Delete High-Score Spam

    Rules:
  Spam Score: is above 10
  
Actions:
  Discard Message

    Filter by Sender

    Rules:
  From: contains "unwanted-sender.com"
  
Actions:
  Discard Message or Deliver to folder: spam

    BoxTrapper (Challenge-Response)

    BoxTrapper is an aggressive spam prevention system that requires senders to verify they're human:

    1. Go to "BoxTrapper" in cPanel Email section
    2. Select the email account
    3. Click "Enable" or "Manage"
    4. Configure whitelist (allowed senders) and blacklist (blocked senders)

    Note: BoxTrapper can be overly aggressive. Legitimate senders must respond to a verification email, which some may miss or ignore. Use carefully.

    Managing Allow/Block Lists

    Allow List (Whitelist)

    • • Emails from these addresses will always be delivered
    • • Add trusted contacts, company domains, newsletters
    • • Access via "Spam Filters" → "Additional Configurations"

    Block List (Blacklist)

    • • Emails from these addresses will always be rejected
    • • Add known spammers or unwanted senders
    • • Access via "Spam Filters" → "Additional Configurations"

    Best Practices

    • Start with default settings and adjust based on results
    • Check spam folder regularly for false positives
    • Add important contacts to allow list
    • Don't set threshold too low or you'll lose legitimate email
    • Use email filters to organize and prioritize messages
    • Keep email addresses private to reduce spam volume

    Troubleshooting

    Missing Emails

    Check spam folder, adjust threshold to be less aggressive (higher number).

    Too Much Spam

    Lower the threshold score (smaller number), add senders to block list.

    Filters Not Working

    Check filter rules for correct syntax and ensure the filter is enabled.

    BoxTrapper Issues

    Verify whitelist includes important contacts who need to reach you.