KB 292

How do I get Spamprobe to be Trained?

Article:292
Created:2004-06-03 11:20:09
Categories:
  E-mail
  Spam

Question or Symptom

I just got Spamprobe turned on, but it says "Spamprobe is not Trained yet". How do I get it trained?

Resolution

This document describes how to train Spamprobe so that it can filter spam out of your mailbox.

Spamprobe is a program which inspects messages to determine if they are spam. It is similar to Spam Assassin in that respect, but there are some important differences:

1. Spamprobe gives each message a GOOD or SPAM rating, as opposed to a
   numeric score.
 
2. Spamprobe adjusts itself to *your* email.  It learns what you think is spam
   and what you think is good email, and classifies new messages accordingly.
 
3. Since Spamprobe adjusts itself to you, it needs "training".  That means you
   have to give it examples of good email so that it knows what your good
   emails typically look like.
 

On the one hand, this training requirement makes Spamprobe a little harder to start using than other spam filters. The good news is that learns quickly, and once it is trained up, it is VERY good at identifying spam. One user was receiving over 500 spam messages per day (even with Spam Assassin). After training to use Spamprobe, that number is down to less than 10 per day.

Here is how to start using Spamprobe:

1. The first step is to enable the Spamprobe rule on the SWCP mail filter web
  page (if you are reading this message that likely already done).
 
2. Spamprobe is now in "Enabled (Training)" mode.  You now need to start
  giving Spamprobe examples of your "good" email to train it.  The way to do
  this is by using the SWCP Webmail interface (TWIG).  Even if you normally
  use a different program to read email (Outlook, Netscape, Eudora, etc.),
  you need to use TWIG to classify some of your email messages *before* you
  download them to your usual mail program.
 
  Most email programs have an option to "leave a copy of messages on the 
  server".  While training Spamprobe, you may wish to turn this on, so that
  the messages are available on the server in TWIG.  However, you *must*
  choose an option which does eventually delete the messages (such as 
  "Delete from server after 5 days").  If you are unsure of how to do this,
  please call us and we can help you set that up.
 
  Then, go to https://webmail.swcp.com/ and log in with your SWCP email
  username and password.  If your SWCP email address is "bob@swcp.com" then
  your username is "bob".
 
  Click the "Mail" link to enter your inbox.  In the list of messages that
  are displayed, we want you to identify the ones that are good emails (NOT
  SPAM).  Click the checkbox next to each message which you are sure is a
  good non-spam message.
 
  Now scroll to the bottom of the page, and click the radio-button next to
  the word "Copy" where it says "Copy or Move messages to ...".  Now select
  the pull-down menu which shows a list of folders.  Select the folder named
  "learn_as_goodmail".  Then click the "Go" button.
 
  It's important to COPY the messages to the learn_as_goodmail folder instead
  of moving them.  That way a copy of them remains in your inbox for you to
  download later.
 
  You do not need to train Spamprobe initially on spam.  We receive a ton of
  spam and take care of that part of the initial training for you.
 
3. After your learn_as_goodmail folder has enough messages in it (50-100), the
  system will automatically grab them and use them to train Spamprobe for
  you.  At this time, they are DELETED from the learn_as_goodmail folder.
  That is another reason it is important to copy the messages there instead
  of moving them -- otherwise they will be deleted and you won't be able to
  access them again.
 
  At this stage, you'll receive a short email from the system to notify you
  that your Spamprobe setup has moved into "Enabled (Active)" mode.  Now all
  of your incoming email will be examined by Spamprobe and rated as either
  spam or non-spam.
 
4. At this point, you will need to start correcting any mistakes that
  Spamprobe makes.  To do this, go into TWIG before you download your
  messages with your usual mail program.  There are two types of mistakes
  that Spamprobe will make:
 
     A. Spam in your Inbox: any spam messages in your Inbox should be moved
        to the "learn_as_spam" folder.  Click the checkbox next to each
        message, and at the bottom of the screen click the Move option, and
        select the learn_as_spam folder, then click "Go".  Spamprobe will
        automatically eat up these messages and use them to train itself to
        better recognize spam.
 
     B. Good mail mistaken as spam: Spamprobe will put any messages it thinks
        are spam into the "suspected_spam" folder.  In TWIG, select the
        suspected_spam folder from the pull-down box near the top of the page
        and click the "Go" button.  Most of what you see here will be spam.
        However, if you see any GOOD messages here which should NOT have been
        categorized as spam, you need to copy them back to your Inbox *and*
        copy them to the learn_as_goodmail folder.
 
        Any other messages in the suspected_spam folder can be deleted if you
        want to, or you can just leave them there.  The system will
        automatically delete them after 30 days.
 

When you first start this, it will seem a bit tedious. However, after just a few days, Spamprobe will start to become very smart about what is spam and what isn't. Some people will always want to check their suspected_spam folder to make sure no legitimate messages get through. Many people, after about 2 weeks of training, stop checking it altogether because the likelihood of finding a miscategorized message is so small.

Here is a summary of the steps:

1. Enable Spamprobe rule on the SWCP mail filter web page.
 
2. In Training mode: Copy "good" messages to the "learn_as_goodmail" folder.
 
3. After initial training with 50+ good mails, Spamprobe becomes active.
 
4. Correct any mistakes that Spamprobe makes:
  A. Spam in your Inbox: move to learn_as_spam folder
  B. Good mail in suspected_spam: copy to both Inbox and
     learn_as_goodmail folder
 
5. After 1-2 weeks: relax and enjoy a nearly spam-free mailbox

Related URLS

 https://kumo.swcp.com/spam/

Related KB articles

 KB 293 Ok, Spamprobe is Trained. Now what?