Microsoft® Windows® XP Networking and Security Inside Out: Also Covers Windows 2000

Using Filters

After you've turned away as much unwanted e-mail as possible at your server, message rules that work with your e-mail client software are your final line of defense. Although the procedures for creating rules vary from program to program, each rule typically consists of one or more conditions and an action that occurs when a message matches a condition. For instance, you might create a rule that examines each incoming message to see whether the sender has an address in your company's domain (the condition); if so, you want to move the message to your Company Mail folder (the action). Most people use filters ineffectively by trying to set up roadblocks for spam—by identifying suspicious words and phrases, for instance, or by blocking ...