Exchange 2003 Anti-Spam Concepts
I've been running an Exchange organization for about 5 years now. My directory isn't a large one -- its just me, the
wife, and kids, but its needs are just as complex as one with a thousand accounts. With the explosion of spam and
spammers, like many others I've been the target of Relay, NDR, Virus forwarding, and just plain ugly Spam attacks.
One thing is certain. If you want to thwart spam and insist on running an Exchange organization without having to
pay per seat licensing fees for 3rd party filters or write an elaborate C++ filter yourself, you need Exchange 2003.
Shellware.com is a spam free organization and this page explains each and every step I took to make it so. Upon
completion of this article, your organization will be spam and exploit free. You may even find some satisfaction
in the changes you're about to make. With all the new stuff coming out of the Microsoft camp, taking down the bad
guys has never been more fun!
You will learn how (in no particular order) to:
- Navigate Exchange and enumerate its files and folders
- Bypass annoying ISPs that insist on blacklisting their entire residential address block
- Ensure you're not running an Open Relay
- Secure your Exchange Organization from known spammers and exploits
- Setup the Intelligent Message Filter using heuristics-based message analysis
- Configure Outlook Web Access (OWA) using SSL and Forms Authentication
- Give the spammers a little payback with humorous custom Rejection policies and messages
Microsoft Exchange 2003 post Service Pack 2 adds a handful of additional components that expands upon its already
impressive inherent filtering ability. It may have taken Microsoft 3 versions and numerous fixes, but once and for
all, you can put an end to virtually all spam entering your Exchange organization by taking a couple basic steps.
The Intelligent Message Filter for Exchange 2003
The first involves making sure you've got your Exchange 2003 installation up to date. Unlike prior versions of Exchange,
2003 has been relatively exploit free, but Hotfixes and Service Packs have been released and its important you have these
installed.
Head over to the Exchange
Intelligent Message Filter website then download and install it.
Open up Exchange System Manager and navigate to its Global Settings > Message Delivery tree node. Right click on it and select Properties.
You'll notice that a new tab has been added titled "Intelligent Message Filtering".
This page is currently under development. Check back often for updates.
Last Updated: February 13, 2006
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