Let us take a closer look at how to configure SpamAssassin Exim and how to set it up. At Bobcares our Server Management Support services can give you a detailed overview of the process.

What is SpamAssassin?

It is an application under Apache License 2.0. It can filter e-mail spam using content to go with it. SpamAssassin is a powerful email filter that employs a variety of tests to detect bulk spam emails. And it applies tests to email headers and content to group emails using complex methods.

Now let us look at how to set up SpamAssassin in Exim.

UPDATE THE SYSTEM

sshCopy Code

into the server and run the following command to start a

screenCopy Code

session:

screen -U -S exim-spamdCopy Code

Once we are in a

screenCopy Code

session, use

yumCopy Code

to update the VPS, as in:

yum updateCopy Code

INSTALL SPAMASSASSIN

The next step to set up the SpamAssassin Exim is to install the Spamassassin. It is available in the CentOS

baseCopy Code

repository. So we can install it  with

yumCopy Code

as shown below:

yum install spamassassinCopy Code

After installing it, use any editor and modify

/etc/mail/spamassassin/local.cfCopy Code

to include the following:

vim /etc/mail/spamassassin/local.cfCopy Code

required_hits 5
report_safe 0
rewrite_header Subject [SPAM]
required_score 5.0. Copy Code

After this, launch SpamAssassin. Add it to the system’s startup using

systemctlCopy Code

.

After that we have to update the SpamAssassin rules using the command line given below:

## sa-update --nogpgCopy Code

After that, use

ssCopy Code

from

iproute2Copy Code

to see if SpamAssassin is listening on localhost (127.0.0.1) on port 783:

Configure EXIM With Spamassassin

The next step is to set up Exim to use Spamassassin to scan and tag junk emails as SPAM. As a result, create a backup of the current Exim setup file by using:

## cp /etc/exim/exim.conf{,.backup-no-spamd}Copy Code

After that, open

exim.confCopy Code

and insert the following line at the top of the file:

After that, add or remove the

spamd_addressCopy Code

line as shown below to setup the SpamAssassin in Exim:

## vim /etc/exim/exim.conf
spamd_address = 127.0.0.1 783Copy Code

Following that, we must include the following in the Exim configuration files

ACLsCopy Code

section:

## vim /etc/exim/exim.confCopy Code

Avoid Spam Assassin determines whether the message is too big.

accept condition = ${if >={$message_size}{100000} {1}}Copy Code

add_header = X-Spam-NoteCopy Code

. Here the SpamAssassin won’t be present due to the message size.

Allow SpamAssassin to fail or time out before running it. If this occurs, add a warning message and accept the letter. If the

SACopy Code

score exceeds the system threshold, add an X-Spam-Flag: header.

 

Add score and report headers:

warn add_header = X-Spam-Score: $spam_score ($spam_bar)\n\
X-Spam-Report: $spam_report,Copy Code

After that, under

/etc/exim/filtersCopy Code

, add the following Exim system filters:

Then restart Exim to see the changes take effect. This is the final step to set up SpamAssassin in Exim.

## systemctl restart exim
## systemctl status eximCopy Code

Test Spamassassin After Exim Setup

To test the setup, send a test email to any email account on the email server with the subject:

XJS*C4JDBQADN1.NSBN3*2IDNEN*GTUBE-STANDARD-ANTI-UBE-TEST-EMAIL*C.34X.Copy Code

And we should see the following lines in the email header:

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Conclusion

To sum up we have learned how to set up SpamAssassin Exim. With the support of our Server management services, we have gone through all of the setup steps.