Using Microsoft Outlook 2000/XP to Filter Spam

In efforts to improve the quality of e-mail services, The Office of Information Technology (OIT) is utilizing SpamAssassin, an application to combat the influx of undesirable junk mail--often called "spam"--that many University users receive daily. With the new application, all incoming e-mail messages are scanned and assigned a rating based on the probability of any given message qualifying as spam. More information about using SpamAssassin is available by visiting its website.

Microsoft Outlook can be configured in a smiliar fashion to handle e-mail messages identified as spam. In doing so, a "rule" is created to handle incoming mail. Outlook can be set to enable a number of different rules; this document addresses a rule for junk mail only.

To create a rule in Outlook that scans for spam:

1. Start Outlook by double-clicking the desktop icon:
   
   
   
   
2. Click on Tools then select the Rules Wizard:
   
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3. The Rules Wizard will start. Click on New:
   
   
   
   
4. Click on Check messages when they arrive, then Next. :
   
   
   
   
   
5. Now click on the check box next to the entry that says "With specific words in the message header". After that click on the link that reads specific words in the bottom dialog box.
   
   
6. A new dialog box will come up which will allow for a custom header to be entered. The way that SpamAssasin at Rutgers works is that all messages that go through the system are tagged with a header called X-Spam-Level: followed by a series of '*' . The number of stars corrosponds to the likelyhood that a message is spam. The more '*' the more likely a message is spam. OIT recommends that usrs use 6 * when first setting up junk mail controls. If Spam is still coming through then increase the number of *. So if users wanted to use the default number of six stars they would type in X-Spam-Level:****** then click on add.
   
   
7. The action the rule needs to take, along with describing that action, now requires setting:
   1. Click move it to the specified folder
   2. In the lower pane, click the specified link to locate and name a folder into which spam will be routed:
   
   
   
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8. When the Personal folder list appears in the Rules Wizard:
   1. Click once to select the Inbox
   2. Click the New button to begin creating a new folder to store the spam:
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. Type the new folder name into the text box, such as "SPAM," and click OK:
   
   
   
   
   
10. In the next dialog box, click on OK and Finish to complete creating the rule:
    
    
    
    

Now all messages that arrive which have the X-Spam-Level header and six '*' will be moved to the folder named Spam Need Help?
Please speak with your departmental computer support person or call the NBCS Help Desk at 732-445-HELP (4357), or visit Room 13, Hill Center, Busch Campus. You may also write to help@rci.rutgers.edu