SPAM diagnotics - SmarterTools

We're just getting started with SM and are beginning to move more clients over. Naturally, as time goes on, we get more of the "why did this email get marked as spam" questions by some of our customers. I've manage to find in the delivery logs the spam weight being assigned to the email, but I'm not able to find how it got that score nor the original headers for the email. Am I blind and just can't find the right log or do we not have the ability to see what makes up a given spam score on a specific message?

Bruce Barnes Replied

9/3/2014 at 5:19 AM

Marked As Answer

If you are using the built-in SmarterMail spam tests, then make certain you have both your SMTP and DELIVERY logs set to DETAILED.

When something is marked as SPAM, then search the delivery logs for the SENDER'S e-mail address with the DISPLAY RELATED TRAFFIC box checked:

*SMTP Search with DISPLAY RELATED TRAFFIC Button Checked*

and you will find all of the spam filters which were tested, and/or, triggered, by the incoming tests.

To further assist you in making certain you are checking and filtering all the possible spam, see the most current version of the following, and assist you in overcoming delivery denial by YAHOO!, G-Mail, Comcast, AOL, and most of the other large ISPs see the following documents which I have published:

SmarterMail Antispam Document, and
the document: Why Am I Having Problems Getting My E-Mail Delivered?

Bruce Barnes

ChicagoNetTech

Bruce Barnes ChicagoNetTech Inc brucecnt@comcast.net Phonr: (773) 491-9019 Phone: (224) 444-0169 E-Mail and DNS Security Specialist Network Security Specialist Customer Service Portal: https://portal.chicagonettech.com Website: https://www.ChicagoNetTech.com Security Blog: http://networkbastion.blogspot.com/ Web and E-Mail Hosting, E-Mail Security and Consulting

Robbie Wright Replied

9/3/2014 at 7:40 AM

Thanks Bruce. Display related traffic was what we were missing. I hope Smarter* gives you lots of free beer.

Scarab Replied

9/3/2014 at 10:39 AM

If you have your Delivery Logs set to "DETAILED" (you can set this in SETTINGS > LOG SETTINGS > LOG DETAIL LEVELS) then every message will show all Anti-Spam Checks prior to Delivery and whether the message was filtered. It will not show the Total Score but it will allow you to see the tests that "Failed". If you are familiar with the weights you set for each test you can easily gauge the total score.

If the client keeps a copy of the message on the server I find it's easier to use the Impersonate User function and go to the message itself and view the Headers which will show all the failed tests and the total Score.

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