Blocking Spam - A Three-Layer Approach

The best way to avoid spam is to use a three layer approach:

1) Mail server filtering
Our mail server refuses to accept delivery of known viruses and messages that have spam scores over 15.

2) Personal SEAS filtering
Your personal filter on the SEAS mail server redirects messages with scores over 5 to your spam folder. You can change this value, but 5 is the default and is what we recommend. See the Answers article on filter messages for more information and to customize your settings.

3) Mail reader filtering
Your mail reader (e.g. Eudora, Thunderbird) can use a filter trained by your actions to filter out spam that got through the first two layers. This third layer is necessary because different people have different definitions of what is spam and what is not. One person may be interested in a particular advertisement that another person may consider spam. The system-wide filter has to be loose enough to allow these sorts of messages through, but your personal filter can learn enough about your preferences to screen these sorts of messages out.

Blocking Spam - A Three-Layer Approach

The best way to avoid spam is to use a three layer approach:

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