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Spam Filters configures Apache SpamAssassin, the open-source spam classifier that runs on every Noxity cPanel server. SpamAssassin scores incoming mail against thousands of rules; you decide what score is “spam” and what should happen to messages that cross the line. Open it from cPanel home → Email → Spam Filters.
Spam Filters with Apache SpamAssassin toggle, threshold, and lists

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How SpamAssassin scores work

Every incoming message gets a score. Higher score = more spam-like. The default threshold for “spam” is 5. Anything above that is flagged. The score isn’t binary; it’s a weighted sum of dozens of small signals: blocklisted IP (+1.5), suspicious subject (+0.8), legitimate DKIM (-0.3), well-known sender domain (-0.5), and so on.

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Settings on this page

Master toggle. Off means no spam filtering at all on this account; mail flows through untouched. Always leave on.
The score above which mail is flagged. Default 5.
  • Lower (e.g. 3) catches more spam but also flags more legitimate mail.
  • Higher (e.g. 8) only catches obvious spam, lets borderline through.
Start at 5 and adjust if your inbox is getting too much/too little.
The score above which mail is deleted outright instead of just flagged. Off by default. If you turn it on, set the threshold higher than the spam threshold (e.g. spam at 5, auto-delete at 10) so only the most-obviously-spam messages are dropped.
Auto-delete is destructive. Mail above the threshold disappears with no record. Start with the threshold high (10+) and lower it cautiously after watching false positives.
Sends flagged mail to a separate INBOX.spam folder instead of the inbox. Recommended over auto-delete: you keep the spam in case of a false positive but it’s out of your way.
Senders or patterns that should never be flagged. Useful for newsletters or vendors whose mail occasionally trips the spam threshold. Patterns support * wildcards: *@trusted-vendor.com.
Senders or patterns that should always be flagged regardless of score. Use for known-bad domains.
For most accounts:
  • Spam Threshold: 5 (default)
  • Spam Auto-Delete: off, or set very high (10+)
  • Spam Box: on
  • Allowlist: add senders you find in spam who shouldn’t be
  • Blocklist: add senders you keep getting unwanted mail from
This catches spam without losing it, and adapts over time as you tune the lists.

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Tips

  • Spam Box surfaces false positives. Check it weekly. If a real sender keeps landing there, add them to the allowlist.
  • Don’t fight individual messages with rules. SpamAssassin’s score is the strongest signal. If something flagged is wrong, allowlist the sender; don’t write a Global Filter to override the score.
  • Per-mailbox refinement. SpamAssassin is global to the account. For per-address tuning, use Email Filters on top.

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