University Anti-SPAM Filter

In an effort to drastically reduce unsolicited email (known as SPAM), and/or scam email Rosalind Franklin University’s Information Technology Services has implemented two new anti-SPAM servers from Barracuda Networks. The Barracuda software interface is easy to use and allows you to classify how the system treats your email. The Barracuda Networks anti-SPAM/anti-virus devices offer a multitude of unique features that we believe best meet the needs of the RFUMS community.

SPAM has been around for a number of years and will most likely continue to be around for a very long time because there is no way to be 100% effective against SPAM. However, we have taken steps to improve our current situation by installing the Barracuda Networks SPAM Firewall, which already blocks thousands of SPAM email on a daily basis. This device filters all email by looking for messages that are obviously SPAM and by evaluating trends such as a high volume of messages from one source. The first complexity of filtering email is determining which messages are junk vs. which messages are real. Normally, an institution can block messages with the words “breast enhancement” in the subject, but a medical school does not have that luxury. The sensitivity (or threshold level) of the filtering is something that we can control. If we make the filter too strict, some legitimate email will not get through. If we make the filter too lenient, you get more SPAM. At this time we feel it is more important for members of the university to get all of their email, so we have the filter set at a level that most likely will not sacrifice any legitimate emails.

The next complexity is that spammers are intelligent, well-paid people, and their livelihood is based on the ability to get around our SPAM firewall. They are constantly working to figure out how to get messages through our filter. Constantly changing the subject line, intentionally misspelling words, and impersonating legitimate sources are just a few of the methods they use to break through our filters. It is very difficult to keep up with them. Once we program our firewall to block a message, the spammer will change it just enough to get it back through. Once we identify the source and block the sender, they move their server and make it look like a different sender.

Added to these complexities is the technical nature of being connected to the Internet. Spammers constantly work to find back-doors into our network. Recently, we identified an alternate way for spammers to e-mail members of our community without going through our original Barracuda SPAM Firewall. To combat this, we have purchased and implemented another Barracuda device and are attempting to identify and filter all the “back-doors” used by the spammers. Unfortunately, this is a very complex task and it will take some time.

Please visit the following links to learn more about this service.

Instruction Documentation

• Anti-Spam Software Instruction Documentation.
• Anti-Spam Software Training Video

Frequently Asked Questions

• FAQ-Updated Aug 1, 2006

Rosalind Franklin University Anti-Spam Homepage and Outlook 2003 Plugins

• Anti-Spam Homepage
  

If you need assistance with the Anti-Spam Filter, you may contact the IT department the following ways:

• Phone: 847.578.8800
• Email: helpdesk@rosalindfranklin.edu