What is anti-spam?
Anti-spam is software that aims to detect and block potentially dangerous email from user inboxes. Anti-spam protocols determine what is an unsolicited and unwanted message (spam); in many cases spam is advertised a product, which many be legitimate (though still unwanted) or malicious.
How anti-spam software works
Anti-spam software employs filters that only allows known and approved email addresses to access user inboxes. Anti-spam software usually allows for a review of email classified a spam in the event it misidentified a legitimate email.
Importance of an anti-spam software
Anti-spam software is important for several reasons:
- Anti-spam software “declutters” email inboxes, reducing emails that are distracting and time-wasting.
- Anti-spam software also helps prevent malicious emails that trick users to divulge personal and confidential information.
- Anti-spam software helps prevent the introduction of viruses, spyware, and ransomware into an organization’s computer networks.
Top 5 features of anti-spam software
The top 5 features of anti-spam software are the ability to:
- Stop 99% of spam from entering an organization’s network system, with 0.0001% false positives.
- Declutter inboxes with easy filing tools for graymail like newsletters and mailing lists.
- Minimize tech support by giving users tools to manage their own lists of blocked and permitted senders.
- Provide administrators central and granular control over anti-spam software policies.
Popular anti-spam techniques
Broadly speaking, there are three anti-spam techniques that anti-spam software employs:
- User-initiated designation of spam email addresses.
- Automated identification of spam by administrators and/or users.
- Spam identified by researchers and law enforcement officials.
Stop email threats with superior anti-spam software
Anti-spam software is a critical priority for IT security. While spam continues to be a daily annoyance, cluttering inboxes and impacting servers, it's also the source of many of the most dangerous security threats facing your organization. From spear-phishing and ransomware email scams to CEO fraud and business email compromise, the vast majority of security breaches today start with an email or spam message.
To successfully combat scam emails and threats, your anti-spam software must keep spam and dangerous email out of user inboxes. Your anti-spam software must also have a low rate of false positives to avoid losing important messages and disrupting user productivity. And to simplify management and reduce the burden on your IT administrators, your anti-spam software must be easy to implement, use and maintain.
When selecting anti-spam software that can meet and exceed these requirements, more companies around the world turn to cloud based spam filtering and email security solutions from Mimecast, one of the industry's most secure email provider options.
Anti-spam software from Mimecast
Mimecast offers anti-spam software as part of an all-in-one solution for email security, archiving and continuity. Delivered as a cloud-based subscription service, Mimecast's anti-spam software uses sophisticated detection engines and advanced threat intelligence to identify spam and email threats, blocking them before they reach your email system.
As a SaaS-based solution, Mimecast's anti-spam software can be deployed quickly throughout your organization. And with no capital costs for hardware and no software to maintain, Mimecast significantly reduces the cost and complexity of managing spam and business email.
With anti-spam software from Mimecast, you can:
- Stop 99% of spam from entering your system, with 0.0001% false positives.
- De-clutter inboxes with easy filing tools for graymail like newsletters and mailing lists.
- Minimize tech support needs by giving users tools to manage their own lists of blocked and permitted senders.
- Give administrators central and granular control over anti-spam software policies.
Mimecast's anti-spam software for targeted threats
Mimecast's anti-spam software is part of a comprehensive set of email security solutions that also includes:
- Targeted Threat Protection to block advanced threats by preventing users from clicking on malicious URLs, opening weaponized attachments and succumbing to impersonation attempts.
- Content Control & DLP tools to stop leaks and improve compliance with regulatory frameworks and corporate policy.
- Secure Messaging and Large File Send tools to enable users to securely send email and large file attachments (up to 2 GB) without having to worry about email encryption software or resorting to consumer-grade file sharing services.
Learn more about anti-spam software from Mimecast, and about how to send a secure email with Mimecast Secure Messaging.
Anti-spam software FAQs
Why do you need anti-spam software?
You need anti-spam software to prevent:
- Distracting and time-consuming “junk” email that clutters user inboxes and diverts from work activities.
- Organization-wide exposure to malware, ransomware, spyware, and other malicious software frequently introduced through spam emails.
What makes anti-spam software effective?
What makes anti-spam software effective is the ability to:
- Stop 99% of spam from entering your system, with 0.0001% false positives.
- Securely send email and large file attachments (up to 2 GB) without having to worry about email encryption softwareor use consumer-grade file sharing services.
- Preventing users from clicking on malicious URLs, opening weaponized attachments, and succumbing to impersonation attempts.
- Stop data leaks and improve compliance with regulatory frameworks and corporate policy.