Using the University s Spam and Virus Filtering Service

Transcription

1 Using the University s Spam and Virus Filtering Service Technology Help Desk HELP [4357] Overview The University of Pittsburgh s spam and virus filtering service is designed to protect University students, faculty, and staff against viruses and reduce the volume of unwanted ( spam ) delivered to University Computer Accounts. The spam and virus filtering service features a personal Message Center in which you can safely view and manage potential spam and virus-infected . The service works by scanning all incoming messages addressed to your University account (username@pitt.edu). Legitimate messages are delivered to your inbox. Messages identified as spam or containing viruses are re-directed to your Message Center and quarantined in a separate folder. An notification is sent advising you of quarantined messages. Note: The service only filters addressed to your University Computer Account address (username@pitt.edu.) If you are a staff member and your department has signed up for the departmental filtering service, the sent to your departmental address will also be filtered. It will not filter sent to other accounts you may have, such as personal accounts. The virus filtering service is automatically enabled on your University account. However, you must log in to your Message Center and turn on the spam filtering service. Note: Beginning January 1, 2006, all new computer accounts will be automatically activated with spam filtering set to the lenient setting. CSSD recommends that all users update their spam filtering settings to the level that best suits their needs. You can access the Message Center through the University of Pittsburgh Web portal (my.pitt.edu). This document explains how to access the filtering service, turn on spam filtering, customize the sensitivity of junk filters, and manage quarantined mail in your Message Center. Accessing your Message Center through my.pitt.edu Connecting through Webmail To connect to your Message Center through Webmail: 1. Open a Web browser to my.pitt.edu and log in with your University Computer Account username and password. File: Using the Spam and Virus Filtering Service Page 1 of 9 December 2005

2 2. Click the Webmail tab at the top of your My Page. 3. Click the Message Center icon at the top right-hand corner of the Webmail screen to connect to the Message Center. Your Message Center will open in a separate browser window. Activating Spam Filtering Although the virus filtering service is automatically enabled, you must activate the spam filtering service. To turn on spam filtering: 1. Click the Junk Settings link at the top of the Message Center window. 2. Click the On button below the Junk Blocking heading to turn on spam filtering. The button will turn green to indicate that spam filtering has been activated. File: Using the Spam and Virus Filtering Service Page 2 of 9 December 2005

3 Customizing Spam Filtering Once you have turned on spam filtering, you can use the Message Center to customize how aggressively the service filters your . To adjust your spam filter settings: 1. Click the Junk Settings link at the top of the Message Center window. 2. Under the Spam Filters heading, select how aggressive or lenient you would like your to be filtered in each of the five junk categories. More aggressive settings will catch more spam but are also more likely to mistakenly quarantine legitimate messages. Note: It is recommended that you use the default settings until you become more comfortable with the service. 3. Click the Save Changes button when you have finished adjusting your settings. Virus Settings Virus protection settings automatically apply to messages suspected of containing viruses. These messages are quarantined in your Message Center. To view the virus protection settings, click the Virus Settings link near the top of the Message Center main window. File: Using the Spam and Virus Filtering Service Page 3 of 9 December 2005

4 Because of the potential damage a virus can cause, Virus Protection cannot be turned off. If messages containing viruses are quarantined in your Message Center, you will be notified via . Using the Message Center From the Message Center you can safely view quarantined . You can also remove or deliver selected messages to your inbox. Managing Quarantined Messages Once you have turned on spam filtering, the filtering service will begin to identify and quarantine potential spam or viruses. Note: Quarantined messages will automatically be deleted from your Message Center after 14 days. To review quarantined 1. The quarantine folder will be selected by default within the main window of the Message Center. suspected of being spam and messages containing viruses will display in this window. File: Using the Spam and Virus Filtering Service Page 4 of 9 December 2005

5 messages containing viruses will appear under the "Virus Alert" heading. messages suspected of being spam will appear under the "Suspicious Junk " heading. 2. The quarantined folder may contain messages from an unrecognized sender or unwanted that can be removed without viewing its content. To remove messages from the quarantine folder without viewing their contents, select the checkbox next to each or click Select All and click the Remove button. Click Remove All Messages to select and remove the contents of each list. A copy of the message will be placed in the Removed folder. 3. To deliver legitimate messages that were mistakenly identified as suspicious junk to your inbox, check the boxes to the left of each message and click the Deliver button. A copy of the message will be placed in the Delivered folder, and you will be prompted to confirm the approved sender s address. If you wish to add the sender to your list of approved senders, check the Approve box and click Continue. 4. If you are uncertain whether quarantined junk is spam or contains a virus, click the message subject to view its contents. Viewing Virus-Infected Message Content You can safely view virus-infected message contents from within the Message Center without fear of transmitting the virus to your computer. The message display for virus-infected content will include the option to Remove or Fix & Deliver the message. If the Fix & Deliver option is selected, a message will display to confirm if the message was successfully or unsuccessfully disinfected. Disinfected messages will automatically be delivered to your inbox and a copy will be placed in the Delivered folder. Messages unable to be disinfected will appear with the Remove option ONLY. Click the Remove button to completely remove the message and return to the quarantine folder view. The message will be removed from the Quarantined folder and placed in the Removed folder. File: Using the Spam and Virus Filtering Service Page 5 of 9 December 2005

6 Virus-Infected Message Display Fix & Deliver Confirmation Viewing Spam Message Content You can view quarantined spam messages within the Message Center by viewing the contents of the message. The message display for potential spam content will include the option to Remove or Deliver the message. If the Deliver option is selected, a message will display to confirm delivery and a copy will be placed in the Delivered folder. When you deliver a message to your inbox, you will also be prompted to add the sender to your Approved Senders List. If you wish to add the sender to your list, check the Approve box and click Continue. Otherwise, click the Remove button to completely remove the message, and return to the quarantine folder view. The message will be removed from the Quarantined folder and placed in the Removed folder. Spam Message Display Delivered Confirmation Removed and Delivered Folders A copy of Removed and/or Delivered from the quarantined folder of your Message Center is placed in a separate folder. To view the contents of the Delivered folder, click the Delivered link near the top of the Message Center main window. Messages are permanently deleted from this folder two days after delivery. File: Using the Spam and Virus Filtering Service Page 6 of 9 December 2005

7 To view the contents of the Removed folder, click the Removed link near the top of the Message Center main window. Messages are automatically deleted from this folder on an ongoing basis. Click the Empty Trash button if you wish to permanently delete all messages from the Removed folder. Once deleted, these messages cannot be recovered. Customized Message Center Settings Creating Approved and Blocked Senders Lists Another way to customize your spam and virus filtering specific to a sender s address is through the Approved and Blocked Senders lists. The Approved Senders List allows you to designate individuals or domains that will always bypass the filtering service. Mail sent from addresses on the Approved Senders List will automatically be delivered to your inbox. By adding friends, family, and associates to the Approved Senders List, you can ensure that mail from these individuals will not be quarantined. The Blocked Senders List allows you to designate addresses that will always be blocked, regardless of content. To add a domain or address to one of these two lists: 1. From the Message Center main window, click the Junk Settings link. 2. Scroll to the Sender Lists section at the bottom of the page. Type the address or domain name into the appropriate Approved Senders or Blocked Senders text box and click Save to List. The entered names will appear. File: Using the Spam and Virus Filtering Service Page 7 of 9 December 2005

8 Account Settings If you have more than one address in the IMAP service (for example, if you handle for a student organization certified through the Student Organization Resource Center), you will need to add these to your Message Center as alternate addresses so that any that is sent to them will also be filtered. To register alternate addresses, click on the Account Settings link in the upper right-hand corner of the Message Center main window. Next, click the alternate address link, type the address into the text box, and click the Submit button. Once you have submitted the new address, you will receive a confirmation to confirm that you are the legitimate owner of the address. Follow the instructions contained in the to confirm the address. You may submit as many alternate addresses as you own. Note: The Remember My Address and Password link is not valid for the University of Pittsburgh and is displayed in error. Clicking this link will open a browser window that does not apply to the University. Accessing your Message Center via a My Page If you do not typically read your with Webmail, you can also add the Message Center portlet to one of your My Pages by following the steps below. 1. Open a Web browser to my.pitt.edu and log in with your University Computer Account username and password. 2. Click the My Pages tab and select Add Portlets. 3. In the Search for Portlets text box, type Message Center and click the right arrow button. File: Using the Spam and Virus Filtering Service Page 8 of 9 December 2005

9 4. Check the Spam and Virus Message Center portlet and click the Finish button to complete adding this portlet to your My Page. 5. The Message Center portlet has now been added to your My Page. Anytime you log in to the portal, you can access the Message Center by clicking the Message Center icon on this portlet. Questions or Comments? The Technology Help Desk at HELP [4357] is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer your technologyrelated questions. Questions can also be submitted via the Web at technology.pitt.edu. File: Using the Spam and Virus Filtering Service Page 9 of 9 December 2005