Information Technology

Customizing the Spam Filter

Users can customize the Spam Filter.  After logging into the Spam Filter, users can access a variety of e-mail-filtering features.

Note: Most users will not need to customize the Spam Filter.  If you do not customize the Spam Filter, the following will happen:

  • You will receive a blocked message list each day that you receive spam e-mail.
  • Blocked messages will not take up space in your mailbox.
  • Blocked messages will be deleted for you in 14 days.

Logging in to the Spam Filter

Users can log in to the Spam Filter here.  Login with your Pepperdine network ID and network password.  If you need assistance with your network password, please contact the IT Help Desk at 310-506-HELP (4357).

Spam Filter Login Screen

Customizing the Spam Filter

Block all of a Sender's Messages

Users can block messages from particular e-mail addresses.  A total of 50 blocked senders can be added. 

Note: Blocked Senders should only be used if you continue to receive unwanted messages from someone whose e-mail address never changes.  The Blocked Senders feature is not completely effective because regular spammers change their e-mail addresses. 

Important: Messages from Blocked Senders are deleted (not just blocked) without giving you a chance of changing your mind after you've looked at the message.

To set up a Blocked Sender, log in to the Spam Filter using your Pepperdine network ID and network password.

Add a Blocked Sender

  1. On the left navigation menu, click Blocked Senders.
  2. On the Block Senders page, enter the valid e-mail address of the sender you wish to block into the "Add Address" field.
    Note: Valid e-mail addresses are of the form user@host.domain (for example, fooey@spammer.com).
  3. Click Add Sender.
  4. The Blocked Senders List page is displayed with the blocked sender(s) added.

Delete a Blocked Sender

  1. On the left navigation menu, click Blocked Senders.
  2. Locate the Sender column
  3. Check the box(es) beside the sender you want to remove from the list.
  4. Click Delete Sender.
  5. The Blocked Senders page is displayed with the sender removed from the list.

Prevent a Sender's Messages from Being Blocked

Users of the Spam Filter have the ability to notify the e-mail filter of e-mail addresses that are known to be legitimate sources of e-mail. The Spam Filter delivers e-mail from the “Approved Senders” list without scanning it for spam.

You may set up a total of 50 approved senders. If this is not enough to meet your needs, the IT Help Desk can work with you to set up some personal Outlook rules.

To add an e-mail address to the “Approved Senders” list, log in to the Spam Filter using your Pepperdine network ID and network password.

Add an Approved Sender

  1. On the left navigation menu, click Approved Senders.
  2. On the Approved Senders page, enter the valid e-mail address of the sender you wish to approve into the “Add Address” field.
    Note: Valid e-mail addresses are of the form user@host.domain (for example, fooey@spammer.com).
  3. Click Add Sender.
  4. The Approved Senders list page is displayed with the approved sender added.

Delete an Approved Sender

  1. On the left navigation menu, click Approved Senders.
  2. Locate the sender you wish to delete under the Sender column
  3. Select the check box(es) beside the sender(s) you want to remove.
  4. Click Delete Sender.
  5. The Approved Senders list page is displayed with the sender(s) removed from the list.

Change the Amount of Time Blocked Messages are Retained

The Spam Filter will hold blocked (and deleted) messages for 14 days.  To adjust the hold period, access the Hold Messages option.  Users can specify a hold date using the day, month, and year drop-down lists.

To access this feature, log in to the Spam Filter using your Pepperdine network ID and network password and follow these steps.

  1. On the left navigation menu, click Options.
  2. Under Hold Messages, use the drop-down menus to select the date.  Blocked messages will be held for 14 days after this date, regardless of when they were received.
  3. Click Save.

Turn the Daily Spam Notification On and Off

The Spam Filter has been set up to notify users each morning of blocked messages by sending a daily blocked message list to your inbox.

To turn this notification off, log in to the Spam Filter using your Pepperdine network ID and network password and follow these steps.

  1. On the left navigation menu, click Options.
  2. Locate Mail Filtering Preferences.
  3. Remove the check mark next to Notify me periodically of messages that have been blocked to stop receiving blocked message lists. 
  4. Click Save.

To re-enable this feature:

  1. On the left navigation menu, click Options.
  2. Locate Mail Filtering Preferences.
  3. Add the check mark next to Notify me periodically of messages that have been blocked to start receiving blocked message lists. 
  4. Click Save.

Disable the Spam Filter

The Spam Filter was delivered to all users in the Pepperdine community.  If for any reason you wish to disable this service, please follow the steps below.

To opt out of spam filtering, log in to the Spam Filter using your Pepperdine network ID and network password and follow these steps.

  1. On the left navigation menu, click Options.
  2. Locate Mail-Filtering Preferences.
  3. Select the Disable all spam and offensive content blocking for my messages check box.
  4. Click Save.

We recommend against disabling the Spam Filter.  Doing so will mean your incoming e-mail messages will not be reviewed for spam content.

View and Manage Blocked Messages

The Spam Filter blocks messages that appear to be spam.  Blocked messages do not take up space in your Pepperdine mailbox.  The Blocked Messages page displays all e-mail messages that were blocked by the Spam Filter due to spam content.  Users can:

  • view blocked messages
  • release misclassified legitimate messages from the Spam Filter and deliver them to your mailbox
  • delete and send messages to the Deleted Messages page
  • deliver and approve a sender
  • delete all messages in the list

To view blocked messages, log in to the Spam Filter using your Pepperdine network ID and network password. 

Users can sort blocked messages based on the spam Score.  The higher the score, the more likely it is actually spam.  This list can also be sorted by an e-mail address listed in the From header, the message's Subject, or the Date the message was delivered.

Note: The date column displays the time in hours and minutes for messages blocked within the last 24 hours.  Messages blocked longer than 24 hours display both the time and date.

View a Blocked Message

To view a blocked message:

  1. On the left navigation menu, click Blocked Messages.
  2. Next, click the subject of the message you want to view.
  3. The selected message will open in a new browser window.
  4. To close the message, click the "X" in the upper-right corner of the window.

Deliver Message

Use the Deliver Message feature to release legitimate messages from the Spam Filter and deliver them to your mailbox.

  1. On the left navigation menu, click Blocked Messages.
  2. Next, locate the Score column
  3. Check the box(es) beside the message(s) that you want delivered to your mailbox.
  4. Click Deliver Message.
  5. The selected messages will be released and delivered to your mailbox.

Delete Message

Use the Delete Message feature to remove messages from the Blocked Messages page.

  1. On the left navigation menu, click Blocked Messages.
  2. Locate the Score column
  3. Check the box(es) beside the message(s) you want to remove.
  4. Click Delete Message.
  5. The selected messages will be removed from the Blocked Messages page and sent to the Deleted Messages page.

Deliver and Approve Sender

Use the Deliver and Approve Sender feature to send the selected message(s) to your mailbox and add the sender(s) of those messages to your Approved Senders list.

  1. On the left navigation menu, click Blocked Messages.
  2. Locate the Score column
  3. Check the box(es) beside the message(s) that you want delivered to your inbox and whose senders you want added to your Approved Senders list.
  4. Click the Deliver and Approve Sender.
  5. Next, determine if you want to Approve just the sender or Approve all e-mail from the sender's domain (the part of the address that follows the @ sign).
  6. Click Approve.
  7. The selected messages will be released and sent to your inbox and the selected sender(s) are added to your Approved Senders list.

Delete All

Use the Delete All feature to remove all messages from the Blocked Messages page and send them to the Deleted Messages page.

  1. On the left navigation menu, click Blocked Messages.
  2. Click Delete Message.

All messages will be removed from the Blocked Messages page and sent to the Deleted Messages page.  Depending on the number of messages you are deleting, this could take a while.

View and Manage Deleted Messages

You do not need to delete blocked messages.  When messages are deleted from the Blocked Messages page, they appear on the Deleted Messages page.  Users can sort deleted messages based on the spam Score, the e-mail address listed in the From header, the message's Subject, or the Date the message was blocked.

Note: The date column displays the time in hours and minutes for messages blocked within the last 24 hours.  Messages blocked longer than 24 hours display both the time and date.

To view Deleted Messages, log in to the Spam Filter using your Pepperdine network ID and network password.

To undelete a message:

  1. On the left navigation menu, click Deleted Messages.
  2. Locate the Score column.
  3. Check the box(es) beside the message(s) you want to undelete.
  4. Click Undelete Message.
  5. The selected message(s) are sent to the Blocked Messages page.

 

Get more help from the IT Help Desk at 1-310-506-HELP (4357).