Web-ster Extras
Spam and Virus
Frequently Asked Questions about Spam and Spam Filter
Where does spam come from?
Spam is junk mail that comes in your email. But while a junk mail sender has to pay postage, spamers don't which leads to more emails from people you would rather not hear from. Some spam is legitimate emails from companies you have done business with. Some are from companies that have gotten your email address off of web pages, publicly posted email lists, or even stolen/hacked from less secure computer systems.
How can I reduce the amount of spam I get?
- Don't put your email address where spamers can get it. Don't put it on web pages or post to lists.
- Use two email addresses: one for general public use (and change it regularly) and one that you only use for friends or known business contacts.
- If you put an email on a web page put it in a format that software email harvesters can't use. For example, instead of using the "@" sign spell it out like mynameATweb-ster.com. Humans can read it but software can't
- Do NOT reply to the email unless it is an email that you are sure of the sender. Replying only confirms your address to the spamer as a good place to send spam
- Use spam filtering. This is software that detects certain characteristics of spam email and blocks unwanted emails.
Can't you just block spam email?
We try but it is very complex and spamers continually look for ways around any blocking. If we do too much we could block emails you want. We use different methods to try and block spam including:
- Blacklists of known spam sending systems
- Keyword listing to identify common types of spam
- Looking for mass mailings
- Checking for fake information in email addresses
What is the difference between Normal, Normal with Quarantine enabled, and Strict?
In Normal mode emails identified as spam from public blacklists are NOT delivered and the sender gets a message blocked error. The potential recipient gets no notice and suspect messages are not kept.
In Normal with Quarantine enabled identified emails are kept in a Spam folder available at the mail.web-ster.com webmail page. The user has to regularly check the spam list to review and delete potential spam emails.
Strict is similar to Normal (doesn't keep suspect emails) but uses much higher standards on what is considered spam. If you are getting a large amount of spam in one of the normal mode this will significantly reduce spam. However, it will also have a higher chance of blocking legitimate emails.
Customize Rules allows you to individually adjust spam filtering parameters. Caution: if you are knowledgeable about current spam filtering technologies a lot of these aren't going to make much sense!
What are Blacklists?
Blackslists are lists of computers that send out spam. When we get an email the spam filtering software checks the sending email server against several public lists of systems that are currently sending spam messages. These include:
Mipspace njabl-dynablock Psbl tqmcube-dhcp wpbl
If the sending system is listing then the email is blocked, the potential receiver gets nothing and the sender gets a message blocked error.
Lists are dynamic, they change often. If a system is listed then stops sending spam it is removed. Some legitimate emails may be blocked temporarily but if the email provider (i.e. company like Web-ster) takes steps to stop spam from their system then they quickly get off the blacklist.
If you get repeated unwanted emails from specific people or systems you can create your own personal blacklist. Adding an email sender to the "From: Blacklist" on your Spam Management page will block messages from that sender. To block messages about certain subjects enter those subjects in the "Subject Blacklist".
My friend sent me email and it got blocked. How do I get emails from him?
Sometimes systems get blocked by blacklists because of one user's actions that affect innocent users. If the system operator takes appropriate action then the system gets off the list. The first action is to try again. If it continues to be a problem they should contact their system administrator to see why it isn't being addressed.
If you change your Anti-Spam settings to "Normal with Quarantine enabled" (default is Normal) then messages identified as spam will be kept in a "Spam" folder in the mail.web-ster.com webmail program. While the message will still be identified as spam it will not be totally blocked.
To have it always delivered to your Inbox you can use the whitelist to override the spam filtering. In your Spam Management interface email addresses or systems entered into the "From: Whitelist" will always be accepted.
Is there a place to report spam?
Deceptive spam is illegal. The FTC has a web site at http://www.ftc.gov/spam/ where you can report spam. They collect information to try and track down large scale spamers, don't expect a personal reply but it will help reduce spam over the long term.
Email from companies you have done business with is not deceptive spam and is legal. Legitimate bulk emails advertising new products should include a opt-out option (notify the sending company to remove you from their list). Account messages telling you of system or account changes may not have an opt-out option. However, no legitimate company should ask you to reply with personal or account information by email. Do not reply to emails asking for such information!
If you get particularly persistent or harassing email from a particular system (the part to the right of the @ sign) you can report abuse to the sending system.
If you need help using your spam filtering please contact us at support@web-ster.com.