The Anti-Spam functionality of Exchange 2007 is very rich. Once the Anti-Spam Agent is installed the capabilities of the combined Anti-Spam technologies become apparent. In Exchange 2007 the combined Anti-Spam technologies offered as part of the base Exchange 2007 License include (these are completely separate from a purchase of a Forefront Security for Exchange License which offers additional capabilities such as File List Blocking, Content Filtering Based on granular criteria and much, much more!):
- Content Filtering
- IP Allow List
- IP Allow List Providers
- IP Block List
- IP Block List Providers
- Recipient Filtering
- Sender Filtering
- Sender ID
- Sender Reputation
We will delve into each of these technologies in another Blog entry - but for the time being let's take a look at the Installation Steps to invoke making each of these Anti-Spam technologies available in the Exchange 2007 Management Console and from the Exchange Shell (or PowerShell).
You will find the KB Article that outlines these steps here:
How to install Microsoft Anti Spam Agents on Exchange 2007
You will find definitions of each of the available Anti-Spam Agent technologies listed here:
Managing Anti-Spam and Antivirus Features
<Click to Enlarge the Image in a Separate Window>
Our initial observation is the 'Anti-Spam Updates Enabled' is marked as 'False' when highlighting the Hub Transport Server Role in the Server Configuration leaf of the Exchange 2007 Management Console.
When we explorer the Exchange 2007 Source Media default installation paths we find a 'Scripts' Folder filled with Exchange Management Shell Commandlets. We are lookign for the 'Install-Anti-SpamAgents.ps1' PowerShell Commandlet.
The 'Install-Anti-SpamAgents' Commandlet is invoked. This Commandlet will 'enable' the Anti-Spam Agent functionality.
We receive immediate feedback that the Anti-Spam Agent installed succefully. Next, we must restart the Microsoft Exchange Transport Service.
A manual 'Restart' of the Microsoft Exchange Transport Services is applied.
Upon invoking the Exchange 2007 Management Shell and moving back to the 'Server Configuration\Hub Transport' leaf we notice the 'Anti-spam Updates Enabled' is now set to 'True'. We have access to the Anti-Spam Agent capabilities offered with Exchange 2007.
I have highlighted the list of Anti-Spam capabilities as they appear in the Exchange 2007 Management Console. Additionally, I offer a Screen Capture of every 'Tab' of every Anti-Spam Agent offered.
With the Exchange 2007 Anti-Spam Agent installed we can begin configuring Anti-Spam settings that reduce the amount of Unsolicited Commercial E-Mail (UCE) received by our various SMTP Namespaces. We will review these capabilities in a separate Blog entry.
Lynn Lunik
Independent Security Consultant
Windows(R) Platform
IT Pro Secure Corporation
blog <at> itprosecure.com
Posted
Aug 24 2007, 02:44 PM
by
lynn lunik