Applies to: Exchange Server 2007 SP3, Exchange Server 2007 SP2, Exchange Server 2007 SP1, Exchange Server 2007
Topic Last Modified: 2007-03-13

This topic explains how to enable or disable content filtering functionality. By default, in Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, content filtering is enabled on the Edge Transport server only for inbound, unauthenticated messages from the Internet. These messages are handled as external messages. You can disable content filtering functionality in individual computer configurations by using the Exchange Management Console or the Exchange Management Shell.

In addition, you can enable or disable filtering of internal messages and external messages by using the Exchange Management Shell. You cannot use the Exchange Management Console. However, as a best practice, you should not filter messages from trusted partners or from inside your organization. When you run anti-spam filters, there is always a chance that the filters will detect false positives. To reduce the chance that filters will mishandle legitimate e-mail messages, you should enable anti-spam agents to run only on messages from potentially untrusted and unknown sources.

Before You Begin

To perform the following procedures on a computer that has the Edge Transport server role installed, you must log on by using an account that is a member of the local Administrators group on that computer.

Also, before you perform these procedures, confirm the following:

You have reviewed Anti-Spam and Antivirus Functionality to understand the general strategy for configuring all anti-spam agents so that they work together efficiently for your organization.
You have read Configuring Content Filtering.

Enabling or Disabling Content Filtering Functionality

As described earlier in this topic, content filtering functionality is enabled for external messages. The following procedures demonstrate how to enable or disable content filtering functionality by using the Exchange Management Console or the Exchange Management Shell.

The Content Filter agent is the underlying agent for content filtering functionality. It's important to understand that when you perform the following procedures, the content filtering functionality is enabled or disabled, but the underlying Content Filter agent is still enabled. To disable the underlying Content Filter agent, run the Disable-TransportAgent cmdlet.

To use the Exchange Management Console to enable or disable content filtering functionality

Open the Exchange Management Console on the Edge Transport server.
In the console tree, click Edge Transport.
In the work pane, click the Anti-spam tab, and then select Content Filtering.
In the action pane, click Enable or Disable as appropriate.

To use the Exchange Management Shell to enable or disable content filtering functionality

To enable the Content Filter agent, run the following command:
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Set-ContentFilterConfig -Enabled $true
To disable the Content Filter agent, run the following command:
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Set-ContentFilterConfig -Enabled $false

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Set-ContentFilterConfig -Enabled $true

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Set-ContentFilterConfig -Enabled $false

Enabling or Disabling Content Filtering for Internal and External Messages

By default, content filtering functionality is enabled for external messages. The following procedures demonstrate how to enable or disable content filtering for internal and external messages by using the Exchange Management Shell. You cannot use the Exchange Management Console to enable or disable content filtering for internal or external messages.

To use the Exchange Management Shell to enable or disable content filtering functionality for external messages

To enable content filtering functionality for external messages, run the following command:
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Set-ContentFilterConfig -ExternalMailEnabled $true
To disable content filtering functionality for external messages, run the following command:
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Set-ContentFilterConfig -ExternalMailEnabled $false

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Set-ContentFilterConfig -ExternalMailEnabled $true

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Set-ContentFilterConfig -ExternalMailEnabled $false

To use the Exchange Management Shell to enable or disable content filtering functionality for internal messages

To enable content filtering functionality for internal messages, run the following command:
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Set-ContentFilterConfig -InternalMailEnabled $true
To disable content filtering functionality for internal messages, run the following command:
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Set-ContentFilterConfig -InternalMailEnabled $false

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Set-ContentFilterConfig -InternalMailEnabled $true

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Set-ContentFilterConfig -InternalMailEnabled $false

For detailed syntax and parameter information, see Set-ContentFilterConfig.

For More Information

For more information about how to configure content filtering, see the following topics: