Locking Down Your Server on Shared Servers

I'm on a shared server because my email is hosted for me through a third party:

(If you run your own mail server, click here for instructions.)

Sometimes, if you're on a shared server, you can't configure your firewall as you would if you ran your own mail server. If that’s the case, we suggest that you set up a filtering rule on your server, or on your email client** software on your desktop, if you have this option. The rule will redirect any email from the outside that doesn’t contain the MailRoute headers into a new or existing folder in your mailbox (don't apply this rule to mail being sent within your domain). 

Every message we process will contain a number of headers. One that's good to use for creating a rule looks like this:

X-Virus-Scanned: by MailRoute

If that header is not there, the email didn't come through us, or it's mail being sent within your domain and therefore doesn't need to be scanned by MailRoute. Given all the different email software and management tools, it's difficult to provide a simple how-to, to help you create this filter, but the general idea is:

If (email is from outside, and doesn't have the MailRoute header)

then (move it into a spam folder).

Optional: You may want to add an additional check for the presence of a Resent-To header. This is added to all re-sent email. It will contain the address of the recipient, like this: Resent-To: user(at)domain(dot)com. This will pick up any released emails from the quarantine which do not include the X-Virus-Scanned: by MailRoute.

Your email or webmail software documentation will provide further instructions on how to set up a rule.  

Still have questions? Contact us at support@mailroute.net, 888.485.7726.

**What's an email client? It is the email software you use to manage your email (e.g. Outlook 2007, Outlook 2010, Apple mail, etc).

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Contact sales@mailroute.net or support@mailroute.net for more information. 

888.485.7726