How to Fight Email Spam with SpamAssassin

What is SpamAssassin?

Spam is unwanted email sent to many people. SpamAssassin is a free program that checks incoming mail. It works like a guard at a door. It looks for signs of spam, such as tricky subject lines, fake sender names and known bad links. For each sign it adds points. A message with too many points is marked as spam.

cPanel is the control panel for your hosting. Many cPanel plans include SpamAssassin. Ask Hostvento support if you are not sure it is on your plan.

Steps to turn it on

1. Log in to cPanel. You can reach it from your client area at https://secure.hostvento.com/clientarea.php.
2. Open Spam Filters in the Email section.
3. Turn on Process New Emails and Mark them as Spam.
4. Turn on Move New Spam to a Separate Folder (Spam Box).

Steps to set how strict it is

1. Click Show Additional Configurations.
2. Find Spam Threshold Score. This is the number of points at which mail counts as spam.
3. A lower number catches more spam, but also may catch good mail. A higher number lets more spam through.
4. Pick a score and click Update Scoring Options.

Steps to train your list

1. Click Edit Spam Whitelist Settings. Add addresses you trust, so they never go to spam.
2. Click Edit Spam Blacklist Settings. Add addresses that send you junk.
3. Click Update after each list.

Check what SpamAssassin did

Open a message in your webmail. Look at the full headers, which are the hidden lines at the top of the mail. You may find a line that begins with X-Spam-Status or X-Spam-Score. This shows the points the message got.

Habits that help

• Never reply to spam. A reply tells the sender your address is real.
• Do not post your email address openly on web pages. Use a contact form instead.
• Check your Spam folder every few days for good mail that was caught by mistake.

Quick recap

• SpamAssassin scores each email and marks likely spam.
• Turn it on in cPanel under Spam Filters.
• Use the threshold score to make it stricter or gentler.
• Use the whitelist and blacklist for senders you know.