EPAmail - an e-mail service demonstrating the EPA process.

'EPAmail.com' - an Internet e-mail forwarding service - has been implemented solely to provide a proof-of-concept demonstration of EPA's 100%-effectiveness in eliminating unwanted e-mail ('spam'). The service was not intended to be - nor will it be - offered as a commercial product. Other than the EPA filter logic kernel implementation at the mail server, no other component of the software has been engineered and field-tested for long term usage and support. This service is made available free of charge to selected interested parties in exchange for their comments and critiques.

EPAmail Service Overview

A user-named mailbox, a mailbox key and the EPA Window Clerk software (required to record preferences at the EPAmail e-mail server host and to examine the mailbox's operational records) are provided.

Every mailbox in this domain has an associated set of Private, Public, Wanted and Disposal preferences in which users can record instructions for classifying and dealing with their incoming Internet traffic. Applying the user's preferences, each incoming e-mail is classified as 'wanted' or 'unwanted' based on the content of the e-mail's envelope's 'TO:', 'FROM:' and 'SUBJECT:' fields. Mail classified as 'wanted' will be forwarded to the e-mail address specified for that classification. The 'unwanted' mail can, at the user's option, be forwarded to the same or another specified mailbox, or may be discarded, or may be rejected as 'undeliverable'.

At the beginning of the 'SUBJECT:' field content of a forwarded e-mail, EPAmail inserts one of the following EPA Classification Stamps:

• ' |EPA+1| ' if the e-mail is wanted because it's 'FROM:' matches a Private preference.
• ' |EPA+2| ' if the e-mail is wanted because its' 'TO:' matches a Public preference.
• ' |EPA+3| ' if the e-mail is wanted because it's 'SUBJECT:' includes a Wanted preference.
• ' |EPA+4| ' if the e-mail is wanted because it's 'FROM:' matches a New preference.
• ' |EPA+5| ' if the e-mail is wanted because it's 'FROM:' matches a SAName preference.
• ' |EPA+6| ' if the e-mail is wanted because it's 'FROM:' matches a SADomain preference.
• ' |EPA+7| ' if the e-mail is wanted because it's 'SUBJECT:' includes a SAWanted preference.
• ' |EPA--| ' if the e-mail is unwanted.

EPAmail Preferences Definition

When specifying EPAmail preference entries

• 'Private' entries contain a complete e-mail address ('username@domain') or a domain name only.
• 'Public' entries contain an e-mail username used for general public correspondence.
• 'Wanted' entries contain a pattern of one or more words to be compared to 'SUBJECT:' field content.
• 'New' entries contain an e-mail username used to initiate contacts and control response capability
• 'Options' entries specify e-mail disposition actions to be applied.

When ';' appears as the first character, the remainder of the entry is ignored (as a comment).

EPAmail Text Search Pattern Definition

For proof-of concept purposes: 1) Only limited text search pattern elements and algorithms have been implemented; and, 2) Search patterns may not contain more than 255 characters. It is expected that more comprehensive, extensive functionality will be implemented by licensees.

Only the characters listed below can be used to define a 'word' in a 'Wanted' preference search pattern and all other characters are treated as 'whitespace':

• 'A' thru 'Z'
• 'a' thru 'z'
• '0' thru '9'
• '?'
• '*'

A '?' appearing in a text pattern matches any single character that is not 'whitespace'. A '*' appearing in a text pattern matches any one or more significant charcters that are not 'whitespace' characters which are encountered prior to a 'whitespace' character or the end of the e-mail text

A text pattern consisting entirely of two double-quote marks ("") matches a text field consisting of a character string of length '0' (the 'null' or 'empty' string).

Preference patterns and e-mail text are compared as lower case.

EPAmail Options Preferences

The EPA Mail Clerk's e-mail disposition options allow the user to specify:

• The complete address of an established mailbox to which all 'wanted' e-mails will be forwarded
• One of three options - changeable when desired - for all 'unwanted' e-mail disposal
• Forward them an established mailbox
• Reject them as 'undeliverable')
• Accept them but immediately 'burn' them without delivery.

Both 'wanted' and 'unwanted' e-mail may be forwarded to the same mailbox. The EPA Classification Stamp in the 'Subject:' field distinguishes the EPA Mail Clerk's classification.

Additionally, the EPA Mail Clerk provides the ability to change the user's EPA Mailbox Key when desired.

EPAmail Operations Audit

In addition to the user's preference set maintained at their mailbox, EPAmail generates a Preference Set History and a Message Traffic Log. The Preference Set History contains all Preference Sets that the user has uploaded and a date/time stamp for each reflecting the instant at which the new set replaced the one then currently in use. The Message Traffic Log contains an entry for each e-mail addressed to the mailbox which details:

• Date and Time of Mail Arrival
• 'ENVELOPE-TO:' Field Content
• 'ENVELOPE-FROM:' Field Content
• 'SUBJECT:' Field Content with EPA Classification Stamp inserted
• 'Wanted:' or 'Unwanted:' followed by the Disposition Action applied

The Preference Set History and Message Traffic Log can be displayed separately or side-by-side using the EPA Window Clerk software. Thus, EPAmail's operational accuracy can be audited by comparing a Message Traffic Log entry with the Preference Set in effect when the mail was processed.

EPAmail User Requirements

To install and use the EPAmail service, you must have:

• A system environment of Windows© XP, 2000, ME, 98, or NT.
• An active Internet connection.
• An e-mail account to which EPA can forward mail.
• The EPA Mailbox ID, Mailbox Key, and Installation Password supplied to you after registration.

EPA Mailroom Interface Software Installation

To install EPA Mail Window service, follow these steps:

1. If you requested and received an installation CD, place it in your CD drive. The CD will start automatically. If you did not request a CD and wish to download the software from the Internet, click here.
2. Click to accept the digital signature.
3. When requested, type the Installation Password and press the Enter key or click OK.
4. At successive screens:
   1. Click Next.
   2. Click Accept and then Next.
   3. Type your choices and click Next.
   4. Click Install.
   5. Click Finish.
   6. Close the installation window.

The software is now installed. Continue with the following steps to set your EPA options.

EPA Mail Clerk Processing Specification Setup

To set your EPA Mail Window options, follow these steps:

1. Be sure your Internet connection is active. Note: EPA Mail Window will not automatically initiate an Internet connection.
2. On your desktop, click the EPA Mail Window icon.
3. Type your EPA Mailbox ID and press the Enter key or the Tab key.
4. Type your EPA Mailbox Key and click Enter.
5. Click Set/Change Mail Clerk Options to select your mail processing options.
6. Click Create/Change Mail Clerk Lists to enter your mail classification criteria and transmit the lists to the EPA Mail Clerk.
7. Click View/Copy Operations Records to view the initial version of the Mail Clerk List Archive at the EPA Mailroom.
8. Close the EPA Mail Window.

EPA Mail Window installation is completed. Unwanted e-mail will now be filtered as specified by your settings until such future time as you modify your selections.