ASSP spam filter in cpanel. useful commands.
Introduction
ASSP (Anti-Spam SMTP Proxy) is a spam filtering system commonly integrated with cPanel servers to protect email services from unwanted spam. When managing a mail server, administrators often need to trace emails, debug delivery issues, and monitor spam filtering behavior. This guide provides essential commands to help you troubleshoot and manage ASSP effectively.
Prerequisites
Before using these commands, ensure you have:
- Root or SSH access to your server
- ASSP installed and configured on your cPanel server
- Basic knowledge of Linux command-line operations
- Familiarity with email logs (ASSP and Exim)
Useful ASSP Commands
1. Check ASSP Mail Logs (Email/IP Analysis)
To verify if an email issue is related to ASSP:
tail -60000 /usr/local/assp/maillog.txt | grep "email"
or
tail -60000 /usr/local/assp/maillog.txt | grep "ip_address"
2. Check Exim Mail Logs (If Not ASSP Related)
If the issue is not found in ASSP logs, check Exim logs:
tail -60000 /var/log/exim_mainlog | grep "email"
or
tail -60000 /var/log/exim_mainlog | grep "ip_address"
3. Monitor ASSP in Real-Time
To continuously monitor ASSP activity:
tail -f /usr/local/assp/maillog.txt
4. Rebuild ASSP Spam Database
After installation, especially during the first 12–24 hours, run this frequently to improve spam detection:
cd /usr/local/assp /usr/bin/perl /usr/local/assp/rebuildspamdb.pl
5. Check Discarded Emails Folder
Location where filtered spam emails may be stored:
/usr/local/assp/discarded
6. Test if Spambox is Working
To verify if emails are being piped to the spam box:
tail -f /var/log/exim_mainlog | grep "piping"
Conclusion
Managing ASSP in a cPanel environment requires regular monitoring and log analysis. These commands help you quickly identify email issues, track spam filtering behavior, and ensure proper functioning of your mail server. By combining ASSP logs with Exim logs, you can effectively troubleshoot most email-related problems and maintain a secure, spam-free environment.
