OpenMSP
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MailScanner

Email Security

Open Source
Free Tier
Paid Plans
Self-hosted
OpenMSP Score
44
22
Reddit Impact Score
Github Score
102K
202Stars
64Forks
636Commits
GNU General Public License v2.0License
Nov 6, 2024Last commit

Alternative Vendors

Rspamd
Rspamd
SpamAssassin
SpamAssassin
Piler
Piler

Commercial Alternatives

Mimecast Email Security
Mimecast Email Security
Proofpoint Essentials
Proofpoint Essentials
Barracuda Networks Email Security Gateway
Barracuda Networks Email Security Gateway
MailScanner is a highly respected open source email security system designed for Linux-based email gateways. First released in 2001, it is used at over 40,000 sites worldwide including government departments, corporations, and educational institutions. It scans email for viruses, spam, phishing, malware, and other security threats. The system integrates with popular tools like ClamAV for virus scanning and SpamAssassin for spam detection. While the core is free under GPL license, commercial front-ends and support options are available.
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Key Features

Multi-Engine Virus Scanning

Supports over 25 different anti-virus engines including ClamAV for comprehensive malware detection

Advanced Spam Filtering

Integrates with SpamAssassin for sophisticated spam detection and filtering with customizable rules

Phishing Protection

Sophisticated phishing detection that identifies URL obfuscation attempts and warns users

Email Content Filtering

Comprehensive content filtering with filename detection, attachment scanning, and policy enforcement

Quarantine Management

Flexible quarantine system with email review, release, and automated cleanup capabilities

Pros and Cons

Pros

Mature and Battle-Tested

In production since 2001, processes over 80 billion emails per month worldwide

Open Source Foundation

Core engine is free and open source under GPL with community support

Comprehensive Email Security

Covers all major email threats: viruses, spam, phishing, malware, and content filtering

High Performance

Can process 2.2+ million messages per day on appropriate hardware

Cons

Complex Installation

Setup can be challenging and time-consuming, especially for new users

No Native Web Interface

Core system lacks GUI, requires third-party front-ends for web management

Linux Only

Designed specifically for Linux/Unix systems, no Windows support

Feature Comparison

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