Choosing Spam Filter Software

The Spam Nuisance

The onslaught of unwanted email messages that appear in the inbox of your computer are not only a nuisance, they cause a serious time loss when you have to delete them manually. Many people are using spam filter software to eliminate (as much as possible) the amount of junk mail that crowds their user's box and for the most part, these filters do a good job. It is important to remember that no spam filter software is 100% effective all of the time. But despite limitations, it is an important and relatively effective step in the right direction.

Spam content can range from mild to obscene, and some of the junk mail that arrives can be truly shocking. It is dangerous - especially to children - and it has the potential to wreak havoc within your computer. Viruses, keyloggers, phishing attacks and more can result from the malware that comes clothed in spam. The malware can grab an email list, banking information, and private data like user names and passwords. By using an effective spam blocker, you can protect you family and your computer from invasion.

What Makes Spam Filters Viable?

The reality is that there are countless programs to choose from and knowing which are best can be a time consuming study in itself. In order to help facilitate your decision, we offer some information to help identify the criteria for choosing top filters. There are some basic things to look for in spam filters that make them viable. First of all, they must block spam. That sounds rather simplistic, but the truth is there is software being sold that sounds great but doesn't perform. The best spam filters are easy to customize no matter what level computer user you are. The spam filter software should support webmail service providers as well as multiple email clients. Find software that fits your particular needs in terms of applications and services that you use. Having software that doesn't adequately address your particular needs is often a waste of money.

Is the Software Reliable?

There are a variety of reviews available to help determine which spam filter software is appropriate for your application. Things to look for when determining which filter to use include the reliability of the software to block and filter spam by using multiple capabilities that will prevent junk mail from polluting your inbox. The best spam filtering software is equipped with black and white lists, community-based filtering, challenge and response techniques and sensitivity and quarantine settings. They may have additional features that block by IP address, server, email address, and country code.

Is It Tough?

When it comes to protection, a single application should be enough to adequately protect multiple user accounts. The spam blocker has a lot of work to do in terms of protecting the user from invasive email that contains Trojans, worms, attachments with embedded keyloggers and other types of malware. A tough span filter can root out and identify HTML email that contains phishing attacks used to grab personal information.

Rule Changes and Support Applications

Rules are important and a necessary ingredient in the making of good spam filter software. The user should have the ability to edit and create. Predefined rule settings should be able to be changed and new rules created to meet the user's needs. The rules fit the user rather than the user having to conform to the rules.

Even if you find everything we've listed here in spam filter software, if it isn't compatible with the current email client or webmail service provider, then it isn't going to do the job. Some of the common email clients that are supported include Outlook, Outlook Express, and POP3/SMPT applications. Webmail service providers like Gmail, Yahoo, and Hotmail should be supported by the spam filtering software.

Being armed with the basic information and knowing what to look for go a long way in choosing the spam filter software that is most suited to your own personal needs.

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