---
name: "MailScanner"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "mailscanner"
version: "4.79.11-2.2"
release: "Debian 6.0 (Squeeze)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/MailScanner"
---

# MailScanner(8)

a email virus scanner and spam tagger.

## NAME

MailScanner - a email virus scanner and spam tagger.

## SYNOPSIS

**MailScanner** \[*options*\] \[*configfile*\]

## DESCRIPTION

This manual page documents briefly the **MailScanner** options.

This manual page was written for the Debian(TM) distribution because the original program does not have a manual page.

**MailScanner** is a freely distributable E-Mail gateway virus scanner and spam detector. It uses sendmail or Exim as its basis, and a choice of free/commercial virus scanning engines to do the actual virus scanning. It can decode and scan attachments intended solely for Microsoft Outlook users (MS-TNEF). If possible, it will disinfect infected documents and deliver them automatically. It also has features which protect it against Denial Of Service attacks.

## OPTIONS

A summary of options is included below.

- **-h** **-H** **-help**

  Show summary of options.

- **-v** **-V** **-version** **-Version**

  Show version of program and the perl libraries used.

- **-lint**

  Test the configuration and report errors.

- **-c** **-C** **-changed**

  Show all values in the configuration which differ from the hardcoded defaults.

- **-debug**

  Run MailScanner in debug-mode. In debug-mode MailScanner doesn't spawn childrens and produce a lot of output. Can be compined with -debug-sa.

- **-debug-sa**

  Run the spamassassine module inside MailScanner in debug-mode. Warning: This option doesn't stop MailScanner from spawning childrens! Can be compined with -debug.

- **-value=optionname**

  Name of the option/rule against which the values of -to, -from, -ip or/and -virus are tested.

- **-from=from-address**

  From-address to test the option/rule specified by -value. Can be any part of a mailaddress.

- **-to=to-address**

  To-address to test the option/rule specified by -value. Can be used multiple times.

- **-ip=ip-address**

  IP-address to test the option/rule specified by -value.

- **-virus=virus-name**

  Name of the virus to test the option/rule specified by -value.

## EXAMPLES

**MailScanner -debug -debug-sa**

Starts MailScanner in full debug-mode.

**MailScanner -value="Is Definitely Not Spam" --from=foo@bar.org**

Test if mails from foo@bar.org are matched by the rule for the option "Is Definitely Not Spam." (aka. whitelist). Output:

```
Looked up internal option name "spamwhitelist"
With sender = foo@bar.org
Client IP =
Virus =
Result is "1"
0=No 1=Yes
```

## SEE ALSO

[**df2mbox**(8)](/df2mbox/8.md) [**d2mbox**(8)](/d2mbox/8.md) **update\_phising\_sites**(8) [**update\_virus\_scanners**(8)](/update_virus_scanners/8.md) [**upgrade\_MailScanner\_conf**(8)](/upgrade_MailScanner_conf/8.md) /usr/share/doc/mailscanner/html/MailScanner.conf.index.html

## AUTHOR

This manual page was written by Simon Walter simon.walter@hp-factory.de for the Debian(TM) system (but may be used by others). Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU General Public License, Version 2 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation.

On Debian systems, the complete text of the GNU General Public License can be found in /usr/share/common-licenses/GPL.

## AUTHOR

**Simon Walter**

Author.

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2006 Simon Walter\