System Administration uses a mail filtering appliance called Ironport.  Ironport does a good job of controlling malicious mailings and vulnerabilities from getting into our network.  It gives you the opportunity to release questionable email from “quarantine”.  Advantages to this software over previously used software includes:

Fewer “false positive” spam.  You should receive all legitimate mail

Better real spam identification.  Spam should not reach you.

Reduced support time in OTIS, freeing resources to do other work

Larger implementation base with better support of the product 

Ironport does not allow for individual “white listing” (allowing spam to get through the filter) or “black listing” (blocking legitimate mail).  All white listing and black listing affects all mailboxes in the service.  For this reason we do not block email which you may not want to receive, but which is legitimate mail.  IronPort also scans all email leaving our network for things which would adversely affect the recipient.  For high risk departments who deal in personnel or student information we will notify users when the system perceives that they may have sent a Social Security Number in a message, even though the message will be sent on. Email which is stopped will be returned to the sender with a note stating the problem encountered.  If you believe you or someone in your department has received a return message in error please notify the help desk.