Filtering does not work!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 3:38 am

It appears that the filetering provider that comes with ME Pro doesn't work at all. Here is the situation. We have a filter, which is suppose to put the emails in Quarantine folder when certain words match. For example, filter called XXX contains a list of words related to pornographic material, such as porn, etc.

When we send a test message from hotmail or yahoo account with a body and/or subject, which contains the word from the list of banned words, the filter doesn't pick it up and places the message in the receipient's inbox folder.

Our filter has the following criteria:
When subject contains words
When body contains words

Action:
Put message in quarantine
Delete message

Even if we do only one action, which is Delete message it still doesn't work. And yes our filter provider is enabled under localhost (right click properties on filters - enable filters checkbox is ticked off).

Looks like the latest and "greatest" version of ME Pro has more bugs. BTW, we are using version 1.54.

Post by **MailEnable-Ian** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 4:42 am

Not quite sure what you mean about more bugs? This is certainly not a reported defect and if you are reporting one then I suggest you go through the support form location (link below) so a support technitian can look into this for you. I can say catagorically that there are many people using this format of filter with success.

http://www.mailenable.com/support/step1.asp

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 8:30 pm

I assure you, the filtering provider does not work. It slips right through. I send an email that contains a word "porn" which is in the filter called XXX. The filter should execute the following actions:

1)Notify sender
2) copy message to quarantine folder
3) delete message

I looked at the logs, seems like nothing is happening with the XXX filter, but the antivirus filter works fine.

lukaszb · Post by **lukaszb** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 9:23 pm

The filter does not work when "The message body contains the words" is check off. It works fine with the subject line checking.

crnunez · Post by **crnunez** » Sat Jan 29, 2005 3:18 am

Hello,
Yes, The Filter is non operative!!! BUG. Version 1.54

Post by **MailEnable-Ian** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 12:02 am

Hi,

If you are still unable to resolve your filtering issues then i suggest you create a support ticket explaining your problem attaching all relevant information. The best way for us to determine the problem, is by using your configured filter tab files so that we can re-simulate your problem.

You can lodge this information using our Support ticket form:
http://www.mailenable.com/support/supportrequest.asp

I have tried to re-simulate your filter actions, i created a virus filter using f-prot command line scanner with actions to "Notify the sender", "Copy message to Quarantine folder" and "Delete Message". I then created the same filter you described which was not working with the same criteria ("Porn" in the word list) and the same actions you had. I then sent a message through with "porn" in the message body and had no problems, the message was caught and all the relevant actions were executed. Are you doing anything different to what i have described?

regards,

lukaszb · Post by **lukaszb** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 1:44 am

Ian the filtering on Subject line works fine, so does the anti-virus filtering.

The only problem occurs is on the message body. It seems like it's completely ignoring the filter. I did log the support through the pages you posted before.

I can send you the files (filtering provider configuration). That's not a problem.

Thanks,
Luke

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 10:25 am

I did try the filter and it works fine, except the actions dont seem to work as they should do. Or maybe I have misunderstood the actions.

For exapmle, when a message that contains "porn" is detected, the action "notify receipent" doesnt seem to work. the notification does get sent; however not to the receipent. The postmaster gets the notification.

Post by **MailEnable-Ben** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 5:54 am

Are you using the default of the template notification? I have tested and it is working fine with the default message? Is there any further information in the logs MTA and POC?

Chrissicom · Post by **Chrissicom** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 7:41 pm

I agree with the others, also using the latest version and message body filtering has no effect. I get tons of porn mail although all those e-mails should be filtered because of certain words in the body.

Subject line filtering and MTA Pickup works fine. Although if the filter was smart, specifying Free XXX to be filter should automatically filtering stuff like Free-XXX as well otherwise I have to make a huge list of words just to cover all variations.

Post by **MailEnable-Ian** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 11:27 pm

Hi,

Ensure that you are not trying to pickup a word in a message that has been formatted in HTML rich text. For example if you create a message in HTML and in the body you have a word "porn" then that word would look like this in the message body <a>porn</a>. So to ensure you can pick up words that are embarced in HTML tags you will need to specify wildcards. Example: *porn*.

regards,

Chrissicom · Post by **Chrissicom** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 2:59 pm

I will give that a try

Chrissicom · Post by **Chrissicom** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 8:41 am

I have tried this method and filtering still doesn't work at all.

Post by **MailEnable-Ben** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 12:44 am

Filtering has been tested in this manner and does work. The filtering option on the body context will find a word sent through providing it is found as a string. The HTML code will interupt the search and is a common device used by spammers to bypass the exact systems you have in place.

If a message goes through the system as SPAM and you have a filter *SPAM* the word is picked up.

Problems arise;
When you have a filter to find;
SPAM
*SPAM*

And the message comes through like;
<B>SP</B>AM

This will not be found by the filter that searches on the above criteria as the string SPAM is not present.

To say something does not work is not helpful in this case the best way for a test to be made is by checking the MAI file that has been delivered to the mailbox inbox that was supposed to be picked up looking for the word.

Check for the word/thread that it was supposed to pick up if you still believe there to be a problem after this send the message MAI file and the exact filter criteria through the support form as a defect. Also when you are doing your own testing disable other filters except for the one you are testing against so it is clear what it happening, you could even run the service in debug mode more info on how to do this can be found in the KB.

Please be sure that you are correct on this however as so far anyone that has said or sent through the same info as above has subsequently found that the filters are working correctly. Saying this however we are obviously very interested in any way the filters are not functioning correctly.

microwil · Post by **microwil** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 4:12 pm

I am in similar situation. I've set up "subject line" and "special email" in same one filter and it didn't work. Then I tried with only "subject line" on a new flter and it works now. Is there a chance that setting up more than one options in one filter causing the problem?