Foreward
Instructions for implementing the Digital Indigo UCE / UBE filters for specific mail clients (Entourage, Outlook, and PINE) are located at the bottom of this document. This instructions will create a folder called bulkmail and place suspected junkmail in this folder. This service is available only to customers who use Digital Indigo for their hosting and e-mail.

What to do about extraneous amount of UCE (Spam) email...
UCE is a nuisance to everyone. And in some cases it can get so bad that it hinders productivity. If you are a hosting or collocation customer of Digital Indigo, we already tell your e-mail program what mail is likely junk mail, and what isn't. It's up to you to tell your computer what to do with suspected junk mail.

How a UCE Filter works...
UCE typically has keywords, phrases, and products unique to itself. With this in mind, a UCE filter analyzes each e-mail you receive and applies numerical "weights" to certain keywords and phrases likely to be associated with a UCE. If the weight is high enough, chances are that e-mail is nothing more than junk, and thus can be tossed out. Digital Indigo uses a special type of filter called a Bayesian Filter. This has proven itself to be the most advanced method of junk filtering available. If it suspects mail of being junk, it puts an invisible (to you) tag in the e-mail. The tag looks something like the following:
X-Spam-Flag: Yes

By telling your e-mail program to look through the headers of each e-mail, it can see if this tag is marked, indicative of our servers suspecting the e-mail of being UCE / UBE.

What are the disadvantages to using a UCE filter?
Filters mostly do mathematical analysis of an e-mail. As a result they are subject to making mistakes. While this rarely happens, it is a possibility that exists, and one that any UCE Filter user should know about. In rare cases the filter can throw out legitimate e-mail.

And in some cases, erring on the side of caution, a UCE filter will allow a junk mail to pass through. This means you will not see a complete elimination of junk mail when using a filter.

What are the advantages to using a UCE filter?
On the positive side, a UCE filter rarely mistakes a legitimate e-mail for UCE. However, it often detects actual UCE. This results in a significant overall reduction in the junk mail you will find in your mailbox.

What should I do if I receive UCE?
Digital Indigo is set up to adapt to UCE and UBE! If you receive junkmail, simply forward it to junkmail@digitalindigo.com. Please DO NOT add any comments or additional text to the e-mail. Our systems will analyze the e-mail to filter our similar mail in the future.

What is defined as UCE/UBE?
Digital Indigo defines UCE and UBE as mail sent from a non-reputable organization which aquired your address through automated means. UCE and UBE is NOT mail from a company whose mailing list you have subscribed. Anyone forwarding this type of e-mail to the junkmail account will have their privilages revoked.

Summary:
UCE filters are merely a tool for helping reduce junk e-mail. They may, in rare cases, mark legitimate e-mail as junk mail. And in some cases allow junk mail to be received. Overall they work extremely well. And Digital Indigo is constantly tuning, and upgrading UCE filters for better performance.

Related Links:
Preventing UCE (Spam) Mail
Configuring Outlook to use Digital Indigo's UCE Filter
Configuring Entourage to use Digital Indigo's UCE Filter
Configuring PINE to use Digital Indigo's UCE Filter