Lakewood Communications
XWALLFilter for Microsoft Exchange 2003
Installation Guide and Release Notes

Version 2.0.7696.927
Copyright © 2017 Lakewood Communications
Last modified: March 11, 2017

Please read this document for installation and release information about Lakewood Communication’s XWALLFilter for Microsoft Exchange 2003. This document discusses the following topics:

Overview

System Requirements

Installation

Uninstall

Upgrade

Troubleshooting

Change Log

Feedback and Support

 

Overview

XWALLFilter is an add-on product for DataEnter's XWall (edge e-mail firewall and antispam solution). XWALLFilter enhances XWall's capabilities in sites which run Microsoft Exchange 2003 Server and/or Small Business Server 2003. XWALLFilter provides XWall with native, server based support for the Microsoft Exchange 2003 Antispam API and Junk E-Mail folder.

XWALLFilter examines all anonymous SMTP email entering your Exchange 2003 server from XWall. If one of the various XWall firewall filters (subject, text, html, spf, bayes, heuristic, image, etc) has been triggered and the XWall option "Mark subject and move to Junk E-Mail folder" has been selected, XWALLFilter routes the message to each mailboxes "Junk E-mail" folder automatically. This allows the network manager to configure one or all of the XWall filters as "Mark subject and move to Junk E-Mail folder" and let each user have final control over what is and what is not considered SPAM.

XWALLFilter pays attention to the Exchange 2003 per-mailbox SAFE SENDERS and SAFE RECIPIENTS list (Can be accessed in either the full Outlook client under Tools->Options->Junk Email or in Outlook Web Access under Options). Any incoming email from addresses on the mailbox SAFE SENDERS list (or mailbox CONTACTS folder) is always placed in the INBOX and never placed in the user's JUNK E-MAIL folder. If the user finds good email in the JUNK E-MAIL folder, he or she can simply right click on the email in Outlook and select "Junk E-mail->Mark as NOT Junk" to have the address added to the mailbox SAFE SENDERS list and move the message back to Inbox in one simple operation.

XWALLFilter does not require users have the latest version of Outlook installed and may be used with any e-mail client since it runs upstream of clients on the Exchange server. If desired, users can simply use Outlook Web Access without any e-mail client installed on the desktop.

 

System Requirements

The following are the minimum system requirements to install and run XWALLFilter for Exchange 2003:

1.   DataEnter XWall 3.53+ suggested (version 3.48 or higher is required)

2.   10MB (megabytes) of hard disk space

3.   Domain Admin rights to install and configure

4.   Microsoft Windows 2000 SP3+, Windows 2003, Windows 2003 R2, Small Business Server 2003 or SBS 2003 R2

5.   Microsoft Exchange 2003 (with or without SP1 or SP2)

6.      In a multiple Exchange server environment, XWALLFilter should be licensed and installed on all Exchange 2003 Servers which XWall is sending email to (see XWall Admin utility Options->General->Exchange tab). In an Exchange FE/BE (Front-End/Back-End) environment, XWALLFilter should usually be licensed and installed on all FE servers.

Installation Part-1 (Install XWALLFilter)

Note: This procedure should be completed on your server running Microsoft Exchange. In sites with a SINGLE Exchange Server (such as Small Business Server 2003), XWall and XWALLFilter may be run on the same server if desired.

1.   Run the XWALLFilter installer and follow the on-screen instructions.

Note: Previous versions of XWALLFilter are automatically upgraded. No server re-start is required for installation however some Exchange configurations may require that the Exchange Information Store service be re-started before XWALLFilter will function properly. If a service re-start is needed, you will be notified by the installer and you can perform this manually when appropriate for your site.

Installation Part-2 (License XWALLFilter Standard or SBS Edition)

Note: Follow the licensing instructions in this section for XWALLFilter Standard and SBS Edition only. For XWALLFilter ISP Edition please ignore this section and follow the instructions for license installation sent with your ISP edition license file and skip to Installation Part-3 below.


Note:
This procedure should be completed on the server running XWall. Running XWall and XWALLFilter on the same server is supported only in single Exchange Server environments.

1.   Verify XWall is version 3.53 or above by running the XWall administration utility (mbadmin.exe) and clicking HELP->ABOUT. If you are running an older version, please upgrade before continuing by downloading XWall from DataEnter (http://www.dataenter.co.at/download.asp) and running the installer. During an upgrade, all XWall settings are preserved.

2.   Enter the XWall Admin utility. Select View->XWALLFilter Exchange Junk E-Mail Folder Add-On and select "Exchange with XWALLFilter installed". If you’re running a 30-day trial of XWall, XWALLFilter is automatically licensed in full function mode during XWall’s trial period and you may skip to Installation Part-3. If you’re running a licensed copy of XWall and have not yet purchased a license for XWALLFilter or desire a fully functional 30-day trial, click the PURCHASE link.

3.   Enter the XWall Admin utility, Select Help->Licenses->XWALLFilter. If you already have an XWALLFilter license key (string beginning with ‘D’ and ending with ‘W’, example: “Duj+0YBiANp/oOVrUWERBEhK0iEsiPsgJBUOsGgapKAHnHtPhuUAxNwfdW”), paste it into the field LICENSE. If you have an XWALLFilter serial number (string with dashes, example: “F0D2F21E-CCB0-11D0-A316-00AA00688B10”, click the ACTIVATE link. The activation web site will issue you a license key to paste into the field LICENSE.

Note 1: During activation, be sure to select “XWALLFilter for Exchange 2003” in the field PRODUCT.

Note 2: Your XWALLFilter Serial Number and License Key are valuable and should be kept in a safe place for disaster recovery, maintenance renewals and product upgrades. Public disclosure or use on more servers than purchased will cause your license to be automatically disabled.

4.   Also in the XWall Admin utility under Help->Licenses->XWALLFilter, verify that a VALID email address is entered under the field “LICENSE E-MAIL” and then click OK. The e-mail address entered must be valid e-mail address for the Exchange Server on which XWALLFilter is running.

5.   XWall should automatically restart in a minute or two and you should see an entry in the application event log on the Exchange server on which XWALLFilter is installed confirming your license has been enabled. A properly licensed installation will show an event = 15, “XWALLFilter has been enabled”.

Installation Part-3 (Configure XWall)

Note: This procedure should be completed on the server running XWall. Running XWall and XWALLFilter on the same server is supported only in single Exchange Server environments.

1.   Enter the XWall Admin utility and configure the filter action to "Mark subject and move to Junk E-Mail folder" for those XWall filters (subject, text, html, spf, bayes, heuristic, etc) you wish XWALLFilter to take action on.

2.   If you don't want the subject line of filtered emails to be marked by XWall, simply set the subject marking strings to null in the XWall Admin utility under "View->Advanced Configuration->Mark Subject - 1/2".

 

How to Uninstall XWALLFilter

1.   VERY IMPORTANT: Close any open MMC consoles and server/performance monitoring applications.

2.   Run the XWALLFilter uninstall from the XWALLFilter program group or from Control Panel->Add/Remove programs.

Note 1: No server re-start is required for uninstall; however uninstall requires that the IIS Admin Service be re-started. On Windows 2000 servers, the uninstaller will prompt for you to perform the re-start of the IIS Admin Service at the appropriate time during uninstall. On Windows 2003 or above servers, the uninstaller will perform the re-start of the IIS Admin service automatically.

Note 2: If during uninstall you experience repeated prompts “XWALLFilter is still loaded ...” and have closed all MMC consoles and monitoring applications, please temporarily stop the "Windows Management Instrumentation" service. If these steps fail to solve this problem, go to http://www.XWALLFilter.com, click on SUPPORT and we will be glad to help.


How to Upgrade XWALLFilter

Follow the "Installation Part-1" instructions for this new release. You may skip the “Installation Part-2 and “Installation Part-3” if you have previously licensed XWALLFilter and configured XWall.

 

Troubleshooting

1.   Examine the application event log on the Exchange server on which XWALLFilter is installed, filtering for entries with Source = XWALLFilter to confirm the product has been installed and is running properly. A properly licensed installation will show an event = 15, “XWALLFilter has been enabled” since the last time the SMTP service was started. If this event is not present, you may force a refresh of the XWALLFilter license by re-starting XWall.

2.   Verify the mailbox specific Exchange 2003 "Filter Junk E-mail" option has been enabled by logging into the mailbox using Outlook Web Access 2003 (OWA), then select OPTIONS, and verify the checkbox "Filter Junk E-mail" is checked. Note that this option is enabled automatically if this mailbox user is using Microsoft Outlook 2003/2007/2010/2013 in cached mode. If your users are not using Outlook 2003/2007/2010/2013 in cached mode, or are using another email client (or an older version of Outlook), you have two options: a) Enable this option manually in OWA on each affected mailbox as described above or b) Run a script to enable this option on some or all of your mailboxes at once. For option B, please download the file "EnableJunkEmailFilter.zip" by following the link in your product registration email. If you have not yet registered XWALLFilter, please go to http://www.XWALLFilter.com/registration.

3.   Verify you have re-started the Exchange Information Store if you were requested to do so by the XWALLFilter installer. You can verify if this is needed by reviewing the XWALLFilter installation log available in C:\Program Files\XWALLFilter\XWALLFilter.log.

4.   Make sure that the Exchange SMTP Virtual Server filter options Sender, Recipient, Connection and Sender ID are unchecked on the Exchange 2003 server that XWALLFilter is installed on. The filter options can be found in Exchange System Manager under SERVER->Protocols->SMTP->Default SMTP Virtual Server->General Tab->Advanced->Edit (where SERVER is the name of the Exchange 2003 server). There is no reason to enable these SMTP virtual filters since XWall is performing this filtering.

5.   Verify that XWall is delivering email to the Exchange 2003 Server that XWALLFilter is installed on.

6.   Verify that XWall is delivering email to the Exchange 2003 Server that XWALLFilter is installed on anonymously and not through an authenticated logon. XWALLFilter assumes email delivered through an authenticated logon is trusted and is never treated as SPAM.

7.   Verify that a VALID email address is entered under the field “LICENSE E-MAIL” in the XWall Admin utility under Help->Licenses->XWALLFilter. The e-mail address entered must be valid e-mail address for the Exchange Server on which XWALLFilter is running. NOTE: This step is NOT required for volume licensed customers running XWALLFilter ISP Edition.

8.   Create a brand new user and associated Exchange mailbox. Logon to the new mailbox using Outlook Web Access 2003 (OWA), then select OPTIONS, and enable Junk email support by checking the checkbox "Filter Junk E-mail". Send email to this new mailbox from an external email account which is not on your XWall whitelist with a SUBJECT line that is listed in XWall under Options->Blocking->Subject as being set to “Mark subject and Move to Junk E-Mail folder”. Confirm that the email is routed to the Junk E-Mail folder properly. If XWALLFilter works fine on this new mailbox but not on some existing mailboxes, you may have rule corruption caused by a migration or import of those mailboxes from PST files. Perform Microsoft knowledgebase article ID 924297 on an existing mailbox that is broken to confirm if you have this Exchange problem. After performing this knowledgebase article, toggle the "Filter Junk E-mail" in Outlook Web Access 2003 (OWA) OFF and then ON again before testing with an external email account.

9.   If these steps fail to solve your problem. Please go to http://www.XWALLFilter.com, click on SUPPORT and we will be glad to help.

 

Change Log

·         Version 2.0.7696.927:

Critical updates to OpenSSL to correct security issues. Support for new AntiSpam vendor releases. Dual cryptographic signing of product with both SHA1 and SHA256 due to phase out of SHA1 by Microsoft. This release supports and has been tested with: 1) XWall version 3.53. 2) Third party Exchange native AntiVirus solutions released through March 2017. 3) Exchange 2003 Service Pack 2 with or without Exchange 2003 hotfixes and rollups through March 2017.


Feedback and Support

Please visit our SUPPORT section at: http://www.XWALLFilter.com or email support@lakecomm.com. If writing us about a problem, please include any relevant XWALLFilter event log entries from the application event log and the XWALLFilter installation log available in C:\Program Files\XWALLFilter\XWALLFilter.log.