MAILsweeper Anti-spam Solution
The New Features document for MAILsweeper ;Anti-spam Solution describes the new facilities and enhancements implemented in this release.
Anti-spam Solution consists of:
MAILsweeper Anti-spam Solution provides high performance anti-spam filtering, resulting in high rates of spam detection and low false positives. It uses a datafeed of known spam (SpamActive) to compare new incoming email against known spam profiles and addresses to look for similarities in the message structure and message content. Based on the results of this comparison the software is able to process the email according to the company e-policy in place. For example, it can deliver the emails deemed to be clean, or annotate those that are 'maybe spam' and quarantine those that are identified as spam.
This New Features document is one of a set of separate release documents, which provide information specific to this release of Anti-spam Solution. For example, any known problems with the release are described in the ReadMe document. All of the release documents are listed in Contents. Each release document is linked so you can access any of the documents from the one you are currently viewing. The release documents are current at the time of releasing Anti-spam Solution . Subsequent updates will be available on the release page for Anti-spam Solution, which you can access from the product CD-ROM.
This New Features document contains the following topics:
Details of other aspects of this release of Anti-spam Solution are provided in the following release documents:
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For this release of Anti-spam Solution, the focus is on improved performance in terms of detection rates of spam and reduced false positives. This reduces the time consumed by operators and end users deleting unwanted messages.
The Anti-spam filter 1.5 previously used a configurable rules definition files (gas.xml) to allow users to fine tune their spam detection and false positives. This file also contained the thresholds used for the classifications of spam detected and tagged spam. Gas.xml has been replaced machine-learning approach that automatically creates the best rule set for spam detection and the reduction of false-positives. This new rules file is stored in AsfDt16.xml and will be created automatically and optimised for your organisation when training is performed. Editing a complex .xml file is no longer required.
The configuration properties for the Anti-spam Filter are now stored with the scenario. From the scenario you can set all the required properties including thresholds and annotation properties.
A Windows application has been created to simplify the training process. The new trainer can automatically download the latest spam definition files for use in training, and create anti-spam rules files optimised for your organisation.
Utilities such as the ASFScheduler, have been added as part of the installation. The ASFScheduler allows you to easily configure spamActive datafeed downloads.
By combining the Anti-spam Filter and Personal Policy Manager, administrators no longer have to manage the spam quarantine areas, effectively reducing false-positives to zero.
Spam has become a significant problem for most organisations. The Anti-spam Filter Installer will automatically install and create a scenario that will be running as soon as the service starts.
New Features and enhancements in this release
Detection rates have been improved by including new algorithms and detecting spam in different ways. The new system uses a machine learning approach to spam detection. These rules are automatically weighted and optimised to detect spam and reduce false positives.
The Anti-spam filter uses a combination of three technologies to generate rules files for detecting spam:
New Features and enhancements in this release
Probabilistic filters can be trained to understand more about the recipients' email flow, to differentiate between the good and bad messages, thereby reducing the number of false positives.
To eliminate false positives the user can:
For more information, see the Supplemental Reference, which you can access from the product CD-ROM.
New Features and enhancements in this release
In this release we have simplified the setting of classifications by allowing it to be performed through the Anti-spam Filter scenario.
The Anti-spam Filter uses a probability approach to determine the potential spam threat of a message. Using this, Anti-spam Solution can associate different levels of threat, and let the system deliver messages appropriately.
For example:
The number of levels of 'maybe' can be organisational specific.
For more information, see Supplemental Reference, which you can access from the product CD-ROM.
New Features and enhancements in this release
The Anti-spam Filter now has a tighter integration into MAILsweeper by maintaining ins information in the MAILsweeper configuration file.
Also, the installer will create a scenario for new users that can be modified if required at a later stage.
New Features and enhancements in this release
Revision 1.1 April 2004
Published by Clearswift Ltd. April 2004
© 2004 Clearswift Ltd
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