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Interpreting headers added by Postini

jelv
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Interpreting headers added by Postini

The Postini system adds a number of headers to emails which are not easy to interpret. For an explanation of these headers go to:
http://www.postini.com/admindoc/header_overview.html
Also available is a tool in to which the headers for any email which has gone through the Postini servers can be posted. This gives a detailed analysis of of why an email was or was not considered spam:
http://www.postini.com/support/header_analyzer.php
A sample of the results from this tool for a spam email is attached at the end of this post.
As interpreting the headers is tedious, Plusnet have been adding a special header (X-pn-pstn). This single header tells you how "spammy" a message was considered to be by Postini. Advanced users may wish to implement mail rules based on this header.
14/01/2008 Bob Pullen has announced a change in the way headers are added to emails and the implementation of tagging with [-SPAM-] based on the Postini scoring in a post here. This post containing the following information:

  • Enable subject line tagging based on Postini headers.
  • Bypass Dspam for those on the Postini platform (effectively turning it off).
  • Enable virus quarantining (The notifications have not been getting sent for those on Postini up until now).
  • Lower the spam threshold so that the subject line of emails are only tagged for messages scoring below 0.15 (The original perception was that we'd be doing this for messages scoring below 0.30 - This is of course subject to review and feedback).
  • Introduce a 'sliding scale' for the X-pn-pstn header. There will be 5 basic levels of spam detection:

X-pn-pstn: Spam 1 (Subject line tagged with [-SPAM-])
X-pn-pstn: Spam 2
X-pn-pstn: Spam 3
X-pn-pstn: Spam 4
X-pn-pstn: Spam 5

These levels will be based on the following spam scoring (hope this makes sense):
(1) < 0.15 > (2) < 0.30 > (3) < 1.00 > (4) < 3.00 > (5) < 8.00


Further information on viewing email headers can be found here -
http://www.plus.net/support/email/email_troubleshooting/email_troubleshooting.shtml


Edit: This post has been rewritten to contain the latest information available on this subject.
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
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32 REPLIES 32
bobpullen
Community Gaffer
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Re: Interpreting headers added by Postini

That's pretty helpful.
*Bookmarks*

Bob Pullen
Plusnet Product Team
If I've been helpful then please give thanks ⤵

jelv
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Re: Interpreting headers added by Postini

Would one of the moderators like to add this information to the useful links page?
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
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jelv
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Re: Interpreting headers added by Postini

From another topic a useful link that does the job for you:
Quote from: pwebb

If you want a helping hand interpreting the headers of a specific e-mail go to http://www.postini.com/support/header_analyzer.php
Phil

Thanks Phil
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
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jelv
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Re: Interpreting headers added by Postini

To the moderators - could this be made sticky?
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
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jelv
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Re: Interpreting headers added by Postini

The trial is of limited duration, but when Postini goes live for all users these headers are going to be in everybodies  emails. Interpreting DSPAM headers isn't complicated, but how many people could look at
X-pstn-levels: (S:41.96081/99.90000 R:95.9108 P:95.9108 M:95.5423 C:98.6951 )
X-pstn-settings: 1 (0.1500:0.1500) gt3 gt2 gt1 r p m c

and
X-pstn-levels: (S: 0.00233/94.89055 R:95.9108 P:95.9108 M:97.0282 C:98.6951 )
X-pstn-settings: 1 (0.1500:0.1500) gt3 gt2 gt1 r p m c

and tell you which was spam and which wasn't without some guidance?
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
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jelv
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Re: Interpreting headers added by Postini

Long term useful links is the right place - but this is a real hot topic at the moment and I feel it needs prominence.
Given that the forum has 7041 members and the useful links has only been read a total of 1330 times I think it would be buried in there.
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
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chillypenguin
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Re: Interpreting headers added by Postini

Moderators Note
Post bumping this thread have been removed.
Jonathan
aka Chilly
billbo
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Re: Interpreting headers added by Postini

Temporary "sticky" status granted.
jelv
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Re: Interpreting headers added by Postini

Many thanks Bill (I'll try to remember to flag it up to the moderators when it has served it's purpose).
If anyone comes across anything that they think needs to be included in the first post in this topic please flag it up and I'll update it.
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
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Not applicable

Re: Interpreting headers added by Postini

Quote from: jelv
[snip]...but how many people could look at
X-pstn-levels: (S:41.96081/99.90000 R:95.9108 P:95.9108 M:95.5423 C:98.6951 )
X-pstn-settings: 1 (0.1500:0.1500) gt3 gt2 gt1 r p m c

and
X-pstn-levels: (S: 0.00233/94.89055 R:95.9108 P:95.9108 M:97.0282 C:98.6951 )
X-pstn-settings: 1 (0.1500:0.1500) gt3 gt2 gt1 r p m c

and tell you which was spam and which wasn't without some guidance?

I'm gonna say I think the first is the one more likely to be considered spam - a guess made without any knowledge or understanding (or really caring) about the postini thingummybob.
Suppose I have a 50/50 chance Grin
jelv
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Re: Interpreting headers added by Postini

50/50 chance and...
WRONG!
I think you've just proved why my post is needed!
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
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Not applicable

Re: Interpreting headers added by Postini

I think you missed my point! (on reflection, should read "I think you missed my blunt!")
I suspect that the majority of users don't really care - I looked for the tongue-in-cheek emoticon but couldn't find it.
50/50 chance was supposed to highlight the fact that I just chose one without even looking.
Will make a note to try harder with the humour in future. Wink
Oldjim
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Re: Interpreting headers added by Postini

I may not be the majority but I care and Jelv's link is very useful
Not applicable

Re: Interpreting headers added by Postini

I didn't say it wasn't useful. Tongue