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Title: McAffee Spamkiller 4.0
Reviewer: Ernest Lilley
Date: 01/06/03 Rating:
MSRP $39.99 / $26.99 Amazon
Product Website: McAfee  / Specs

Summary: My Dad loved Spam®, but then, he never used email. I wouldn't mind if it didn't mean having to sort through my inbox to find the good stuff, wasn't worried about viruses, and the pictures of barnyard animals that show up were more pastoral than porn, but until then, I'll use Spamkiller.

After installing McAfee's Spamkiller, which intercepts evil email Before it gets to your computer, I'm much happier. Installation on my XP machine went quickly, allowing me to set up multiple email accounts, list the people I trust, and add words and addresses I consider unwanted. It actually speeds up my regular mail downloads by getting rid of all that unwanted mail, and it speeds up my ability to deal with email by not being confused...or sidetracked.

I would like it to integrate more tightly with the email programs it supports so that it could automatically run before each mail session. Other than that, only thing about Spamkiller that you should be warned of is that between the sound effects (which you can turn off) and the "Killed Mail" section (which thankfully does not show graphics) you may find myself scanning spam for amusement rather than in abject horror.

McAfee.com SpamKiller

McAfee.com SpamKiller quickly and easily helps you control spam from polluting your Inbox. Powered by advanced rule-based and list-based filtering technologies, SpamKiller enables users to both protect their Inboxes from spam and fight back against the source of the problem – email spammers.

SpamKiller benefits:

• Blocks spam using known lists and preset, default filters

• Updates internal filters automatically

• Supports POP3, MAPI and MSN/Hotmail email protocols

• Lets users create custom filters

• Quarantines identified spam away from your Inbox

• Imports "friends" automatically into a safe list

• Monitors and filters multiple email accounts

• Empowers users to fight back

Advanced Spam Filtering

SpamKiller installs with a database of known spammers. Additionally, its comprehensive preset rule-based filters scan the sender’s address, subject line, body text, message header and country of origin in determining if an email is legitimate mail or spam.

Automatic Filter Updates

In order to keep up with the latest spam threats, McAfee.com releases regular filter updates based on careful analysis of McAfee.com’s spamtraps. SpamKiller checks McAfee.com’s servers once a day for new filters, automatically updating the application when a filter update is made available.

Protocol and Application Support

SpamKiller supports POP3, MAPI and MSN/Hotmail email protocols. By directly supporting multiple clientbased email applications (Outlook Express, Eudora, Netscape etc.) and Web-based email clients (MSN/Hotmail), SpamKiller enables users to benefit from its advanced filtering without forcing them to change their email behavior.

Custom Filter Wizard

SpamKiller’s filter wizard presents a simple, step-by-step method for users to create new spam filters based on spam messages that have been received. Users simply choose the part of the message on which to filter and SpamKiller automatically develops the filter.

Killed Mail Quarantine

Spam email is automatically placed into SpamKiller’s Killed Mail quarantine folder so a user’s inbox remains uncluttered and free of spam. Spam email is held in quarantine and erased automatically after 30 days. If for some reason a legitimate email is flagged as spam, users can easily recover it to their inbox.

Automatic Friends List

SpamKiller can automatically import a user’s email application or Webbased contact list into a friends list. Messages placed into the friends list are automatically skipped during the spam filtering process. Additionally, users may add new addresses, newsletters or complete domains to the friends list at any time.

Runs Quietly in the Background SpamKiller monitors and filters email from multiple accounts quietly in the background without interrupting other online or offline applications. Users can view their spam email at any time by simply double-clicking on the icon in the system tray. SpamKiller can also alert users to new email or new spam through its optional email notification window.

Fight Back

SpamKiller gives email users the ability to automatically report spammers to the appropriate authority. This process can be executed manually by a user or the application can send one of SpamKiller’s standard complaint messages directly to an ISP or Web site host. SpamKiller also enables users to automatically send a ‘bounced email’ message back to spammers, which can help to effectively remove their address from an email list.

System Requirements

• Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP

• A POP3, MAPI, or MSN/Hotmail email account (Most email accounts are POP3)

• 5 MB free hard-drive space

• Note: McAfee.com SpamKiller filters MSN/Hotmail, but currently does not filter AOL, Yahoo or other Web-based email accounts.