RE: Spam Trapping Errors

["^mad^" <ukha@xxxxxxx>]

Hi,

I use spam assasin, quite a chunk of email to this group gets marked as
spam
due to Yahoo repackaging emails, and the ad they bung on the bottom.

I use proc mail to sort my mailing list messages into folders on the
server.. I have it so my mailing lists are procesed first, so the emails
are
tagged as spam then moved to the folder, and the last rule moves the spam
messages into the spam folder, I only get 4 or 5 a day though, and just
delete them manually and keep a check on them.

Infact your email was marked as spam (I have the encapsulate spam in new
mail option on):
66
Content analysis details: (4.6 points, 4.0 required)
pts rule name description
---- ---------------------- -----------------------------------------------
---
1.3 TONER BODY: Contains "Toner Cartridge"
0.8 HTML_30_40 BODY: Message is 30% to 40% HTML
0.1 HTML_FONTCOLOR_BLUE BODY: HTML font color is blue
0.0 HTML_MESSAGE BODY: HTML included in message
0.1 MIME_HTML_ONLY BODY: Message only has text/html MIME parts
0.1 RCVD_IN_NJABL RBL: Received via a relay in dnsbl.njabl.org
[81.152.91.37 listed in dnsbl.njabl.org]
1.1 FORGED_OUTLOOK_HTML Outlook can't send HTML message only
1.1 FORGED_OUTLOOK_TAGS Outlook can't send HTML in this format
0.0 CLICK_BELOW Asks you to click below

99

I suggest another way round the problem is to change the weightings of the
rules, its explained in the docs semi-well, you just add the overridden
scored to your config file, another idea maybe to increase your spam
threshold, I have mine at 4, as I found the 2.5 default was too strict, and
I wanted to have it as low as possible. 5 normally lets most postings
through, and if you have razor or another spam database, most real spam
scores over 10, in my experiance, but they you still get the odd bit
falling
through!
What are you running Spam Assasin on, and how much control do you have over
the server?? maybe you will just have to check and empty your spam folder
more often..
HTH

AListair



-----Original Message-----
From: Keith Doxey [mailto:ukha@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 25 October 2003 13:23
To: UKHA Discussion (E-mail)
Subject: [ukha_d] Spam Trapping Errors


Hi All

Firstly apologies to anyone who has sent me email and either had it bounce
as undeliverable or seemingly had it ignored.

I have just logged onto my email account via the web interface to see what
was in the SPAM folder as I thought it strange that I hadnt received
replies
to a couple of emails that I had sent.

I found that the SPAM folder contained 351 messages. Unfortunately 100 of
them were GENUINE EMAILS that had incorrectly been identified as SPAM. I
have established that they had several things in common.

1. Sender Identified as an Open Relay
bigpond.net.au
aol.com
ntlworld.com
rapidhoster.co.uk
( this trapped support messages from RapidHoster, some of my own messages
as
that is where my sites are hosted, and several from people I know have
there
sites hosted on RapidHoster)

2. Trapped by contents of messages. The SpamAssasin added points for
"Toner
Cartridge" contained within the body of the message which with the
points
for being an "Open Relay" were enough to push it over the limit.
Upon
checking the contents of the message it became apparent that the ONLY
reference to Toner Cartridge was in the advertisement text added by Yahoo
Groups.

It may be worth other people checking their email accounts if they are
setup
not to download spam just to ensure that wanted messages havent been
mistakenly labelled as SPAM.

Any advice on how to "Fine Tune" SpamAssasin so that I minimise
the risk of
losing wanted email whilst successfully trapping most of the trash would be
gratefully appreciated.

Once again, apologies if you have had problems contacting me or have not
received a reply but I dont know what else I can do to improve the
siutuation. Alternate accounts that I used to use on BTInternet are now
totally useless due to massive volumes of Spam received on a daily basis
about 10% of which doesnt get trapped by their filters.

I deliberately havent marked this as [OT] because about 40% of the
incorrectly trapped emails were intended for this group :-(

Keith

www.diyha.co.uk
www.kat5.tv