How To Control Spam
 Introduction
As the volume of spam escalates and spammers continue to become more technologically savvy, keeping spam out of inboxes is a growing challenge. Small and mid-sized businesses are relying on email more than ever, but many are unequipped to deal with spam. IT administrators at many SMBs are dealing with these seemingly competing tasks:
- Safeguard business from email threats
- Preserve free flow of vital email from legitimate sources
- Do this with as little administration as possible
Options for SMBs
The changing threat landscape, coupled with the lack of IT staff and funds can make stopping spam seem out of reach for many SMBs. This is not the case, however, as there are three types of anti-spam options available to SMBs today:
- Appliance — This is a pre-configured and tuned self-contained piece of hardware that is designed to easily integrate into your existing business network and work in tandem with your email server or gateway. Appliances offer quick setup and low maintenance, perform automatic rule and software updates, and are capable of extensive reporting and personalization. The initial cost of the appliance can be hefty, and there are additional licensing and subscription fees — but for many SMBs, the upfront costs are worth the minimal ongoing maintenance that is needed.
- Software — This is a flexible option that can be implemented on an existing email server partition or dedicated hardware. Software is ideal for businesses that have extra hardware because it can be customized to run on multiple operating systems. Like appliances, software offers extensive reporting and personalization options, and also performs automatic updates. However, a drawback of software applications is they require installation on your own hardware and then regular maintenance. This can be time-consuming, especially configuring a server, installing and setting up software, and then testing it to make sure it’s compatible with both your email system and network. In many cases, software is the most low cost option. But if you need to invest in new hardware, that cost, coupled with installation and maintenance time, may ultimately make software more expensive.
- Hosted (or Outsourced) — This is an outsourcing model where an SMB hires a managed security service provider to manage their email security. Outsourcing is the most costly solution, but it requires no overhead or maintenance on the part of the SMB, and for many businesses that are lacking in IT staff or expertise, managed security services are the answer. Managed security services provide 24×7 support and providers will stay on top of the latest changes in the threat landscape so you don’t have to. Hosted solutions offer extensive reporting and personalization like the other options.
Necessary features
No matter what kind of solution you choose for your SMB, make sure it runs your inbound and outbound mail through each of these checks:
- Email firewall
- Antivirus filtering
Multi-layered anti-spam filtering
- Customer defined lists
- Content filters
General rules
There is no shortage of spam, but many SMBs are feeling like they are lacking the resources needed to fight it. Choosing the right kind of anti-spam solution and email protection for your business can really make a difference in productivity and network bandwidth. In addition to installing an anti-spam solution, here are a few other general rules for avoiding spam:
- Never respond to suspicious email or obvious spam
- View emails in plain-text rather than HTML
- Create a spam filter for email
- Configure the firewall to block all unrequested traffic.
- Report spam — tell your Internet Service Provider, file an online complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, and/or report it to your local Business Software Alliance.
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