​Proofpoint Anti-Spam Software

Proofpoint Email Protection is UWSP's anti-spam technology helping to protect against email threats such as phishing and targeted attacks.  Proofpoint is rated one of the most effective platforms for keeping malicious and unwanted emails out of your mailbox.  

To prevent confusion it is strongly recommended that you do not use Outlook Junk mail folders in addition to Proofpoint.

How do I know that Proofpoint is working?

You see less “noise” in your Inbox. Proofpoint filters out emails that it considers phishing, spam, or low-priority items such as newsletters.

Can I see these filtered emails?

Yes. Each day you receive a Daily Email Digest (Proofpoint Quarantine report) in your Outlook Inbox from UWSP Postmaster.  This email lists messages quarantined by Proofpoint over the past 24 hours.

Daily Email Digest

Quarantined messages that display in your Daily Digest are messages that Proofpoint considers spam, or low-priority "bulk" items such as newsletters and advertisements. Emails identified as phishing emails are safely removed from your email and sent directly to the Blocked Senders list in your online Proofpoint Quarantine. 

Emails that you may wish to continue to receive can also occasionally be caught by Proofpoint's quarantine. See "Do I need to do anything with my daily Quarantine Digest report?" below for information on managing your quarantined emails

How does Proofpoint handle web links in emails?

Email source links may display differently when moused over.  Email from sources outside of UWSP will have all accompanying links converted to Proofpoint URLs beginning with https://urldefense.proofpoint.com. 

Emails sent from one UWSP member to another will display links as expected when your cursor hovers over.

Converted Proofpoint URL in email

Links to malicious content are blocked.  When a link in a message from an external sender is clicked, the new Proofpoint URL allows the link's destination page to be evaluated for malicious content prior to it reaching your web browser. If malicious content is found, the page will display a "Blocked" notice.  If the web page is evaluated as safe, it will open and display normally.

 Do I need to do anything with my daily Quarantine Digest report?

Yes. Each day you should review the emails listed in your daily Quarantine Digest report email. While Proofpoint is very good, it may occasionally quarantine a newsletter that you want to continue receiving, or there might be a quarantined sender that should be added to Proofpoint's Blocked Senders list.

To manage your Quarantined emails from your Digest report:

  • Click Release for a quarantined email to release that email to your Inbox.

  • Click Allow Sender to tell Proofpoint that future emails from this sender can come directly to your Inbox. There is no need to quarantine future emails from this sender.

  • Click Block Sender to send all future emails from the sender directly to the Proofpoint Quarantine Blocked Senders list.

You can review and manage all of your Blocked, Allowed, and Quarantined messages from your Proofpoint Quarantine portal: https://quarantine.uwsp.edu.

You can also access your Proofpoint Quarantine portal by clicking Manage My Settings at the bottom of each Daily Quarantine Digest email.


 How do I Allow, Block, or Unblock a Sender in my Proofpoint portal?

You can review and manage all of your Blocked, Allowed and Quarantined messages from your Proofpoint Quarantine portal: https://quarantine.uwsp.edu.

The first thing you will see when you log in to your Proofpoint portal is your Spam - Quarantine folder. This is where your quarantined emails collect before they are displayed in your daily Proofpoint Quarantine Digest (QD) report. 

Unblock a blocked email: In the Quarantine pane at the lower-left click Lists. Select Blocked Senders List. At the right, place a check next to the email to unblock. Click Delete on the menu to remove the sender from your Blocked Senders List.

Unsubscribing from a mailing is preferable to blocking - a blocked sender continues to send email though you no longer see the messages in your personal quarantine.

Allow quarantined email:  Place a check next to the email(s) and click Allow Sender on the menu.

If you have received a high number of quarantined emails that you would like to block or set as safe you can Allow/Block emails and senders through your Spam - Quarantine folder by selecting multiple emails and clicking Release or Block from the menu above.

Once quarantined emails display in your daily Quarantine Digest email, your Spam - Quarantine folder in your Proofpoint portal clears and begins accumulating quarantined items for the next day's email report.

At the lower-left of the Proofpoint screen you will see the following tabs:

  • Lists allows you to review and manage the contents of your Safe Senders and Blocked Senders lists. Here you can add a new safe or blocked sender or select a sender to modify by using the buttons above the list.

  • Profile contains a dropdown for a Preferred Language setting.

  • Quarantine at the lower-left returns you to your Spam - Quarantine folder.

 What is the best way to add a Safe Sender or Block a Sender?

If you want to add an email address as a Blocked or Safe Sender, the best way to do this is to:

use the Allow Sender and Block Sender links in your Proofpoint daily Quarantine Digest.

Log into your Proofpoint Quarantine portal: https://quarantine.uwsp.edu. At the left, place a check next to the email and select Block Sender or Allow Sender from the menu.

 Can Proofpoint send me an up-to-the-moment list of quarantined emails?

Yes. At the bottom of your Proofpoint Daily Email Digest click the link to Request New Digest, then check your email for a new Email Digest contaning a current list of your quarantined emails.

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​Need help?  Contact the Service Desk.