Introduction
Learn how to install the SpamAssassin spam filter on a server with Plesk. A spam filter is a necessary tool for any mail server. SpamAssassin is easy to install and manage with Plesk, and will filter out spam which is sent to email mailboxes hosted by your server.
For any server with Plesk, applications like SpamAssassin should always be upgraded and managed through the Plesk interface.
Requirements
- A server with Plesk (any operating system) and email configured and running.
For step-by-step instructions on getting email configured and running, see our article Set up Email on a Servidor Cloud with Plesk.
This tutorial uses the Power User view. You can change the Plesk view by clicking Change View at the bottom of the column on the left.
Install SpamAssassin
Log in to the Plesk Admin panel, then click Tools & Settings.
Click Plesk > Updates & Upgrades.
Click Add/Remove Components.
Click to expand the Mail Hosting menu.
Click to install SpamAssassin.
Click Continue to complete the installation.
SpamAssassin will be installed.
Configure SpamAssassin
After installing SpamAssassin, the service will automatically be started. To configure SpamAssassin, log in to the Plesk Admin area, then click Tools & Settings.
Click Mail > Spam Filter.
This section contains SpamAssassin options which you can configure. We recommend that most settings be left at the default. You can read more about SpamAssassin in the official Plesk documentation.
One setting you may need to adjust occasionally is The score that a message must receive to qualify as spam. This number is set to 7 by default.
If your users receive too much spam, change this to a lower number. The lower the number, the lower the threshold for qualifying as spam. More spam messages will be filtered out at a lower number, but there is an increased risk that non-spam messages will be filtered out as well.
If too many legitimate emails are being marked as spam, change this to a higher number. The higher the number, the less sensitive SpamAssassin will be. More legitimate emails will be delivered to your users, but there is an increased risk that spam messages will be delivered, as well.