Anti-Spam & Anti-Phishing Policies
Message Hygiene & ProtectionAnti-Spam & Anti-Phishing Policies

Anti-Spam & Anti-Phishing Policies

30 mins

Understanding the Concept

Anti-spam policies control how Exchange Online handles suspected spam, including setting SCL thresholds, defining bulk mail handling, and configuring allow/block lists. Policies can be customized per user, group, or domain.

Anti-phishing policies protect against impersonation attacks where attackers spoof trusted senders. Features include mailbox intelligence, spoof intelligence, and impersonation protection for specific users and domains.

Advanced anti-phishing in Defender for Office 365 adds machine learning models, safe links detonation, and campaign views to detect sophisticated phishing attempts.

Key Points

Anti-spam policies set SCL thresholds for spam handling
Bulk Complaint Level (BCL) filters newsletter-type mass mail
Anti-phishing detects impersonation and spoofing attacks
Mailbox intelligence learns user communication patterns
Spoof intelligence identifies unauthorized sender domains
Tenant Allow/Block List manages overrides centrally

Why This Matters

Phishing is the top attack vector for organizations. Properly configured anti-spam and anti-phishing policies dramatically reduce the risk of credential theft, business email compromise, and financial fraud.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Setting anti-spam thresholds too aggressively causing false positives
Not enabling impersonation protection for executives and VIPs
Relying solely on default policies without customization

Interview Discussion Points

💡Describe your approach to tuning anti-spam policies
💡Explain how impersonation protection works and its limitations
💡Discuss how to handle a phishing incident in Exchange Online

MS-203 Exam Tips

📝Know the difference between anti-spam and anti-phishing policy settings
📝Understand impersonation protection configuration for users and domains
📝Be familiar with Tenant Allow/Block List management and usage