ARCHIVE 2003

Webwasher: Coordinated, Multi-Method Spam Filtering Raises the Bar in Filtering Detection Accuracy

As spammers continue to diversify their stealth techniques to circumvent the most popular filters, the ability to run several complementary filters in parallel is increasingly advantageous over single-method filters in terms of high blocking rates and low false positives. Through the exclusive MethodMix(TM) technology developed for webwasher's integrated Content Security Management platform, SpamEquator Prime statistically combines the individual results of up to six complementary spam detection methods into a single overall spam probability. In addition to analyzing sender, message and subject, this array of anti-spam methods covers the wide spectrum of message attributes that spammers increasingly manipulate in order to thwart conventional filters.

Suitability of SpamEquator Prime for enterprise-wide deployments is possible as a result of webwasher's popular profile-based policy engine, which offers customers the flexibility to tailor filtering to the unique needs at the user or department level. Response actions (including block, mark for quarantine, delay and notify) can also be extensively customized according to user profiles.

Spam Equator Prime is designed to be up-and-running with minimal effort. Deployment time is dramatically reduced by a simple, eight-step configuration wizard as well as the ability to leverage existing user authentification databases such as LDAP. To the extent that filtering needs to be fine-tuned, administrators have an array of options including sender white lists, Boolean keyword blocking and fully adjustable thresholds.

All SpamEquator Prime filtering methods - including Mailshell® SpamCatcher(TM) (featuring fingerprint and heuristic methods), Habeas® Sender Warranted Filtering, Real-time Blackhole Lists (RBLs), Header Rule Filter, Body Rule Filter, and the Bayesian Rule Filter - are regularly updated to maintain accuracy. Administrators can enable any combination of detection methods or all six simultaneously as necessary for optimal filtering. SpamEquator Prime runs on Windows NT/2000, Linux and Solaris, and requires a server that is compliant with the Internet Content Adaptation Protocol (ICAP). Pricing is based on the number of users and license duration.