---
name: "spamd-setup"
section: "8"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/spamd-setup"
---

# spamd-setup(8)

parse and load file of spammer addresses

## NAME

**spamd-setup** – parse and load file of spammer addresses

## SYNOPSIS

**spamd-setup** \[**-bDdn**\]

## DESCRIPTION

The **spamd-setup** utility sends blacklist data to [spamd(8)](/spamd/8.md), as well as configuring mail rejection messages for blacklist entries.

When **spamd-setup** is run in blacklist only mode, it also sends blacklist data to the [pf(4)](/pf/4.md) table \<*spamd*\>. The \<*spamd*\> table must then be used in conjunction with a [pf(4)](/pf/4.md) redirection rule to selectively redirect mail connections to [spamd(8)](/spamd/8.md).

The options are as follows:

- **-b**

  Blacklisting only mode. Blacklist data is normally stored only in [spamd(8)](/spamd/8.md). With this flag, data is stored in both [spamd(8)](/spamd/8.md) and [pf(4)](/pf/4.md). Use this flag if [spamd(8)](/spamd/8.md) is running with the **-b** flag too.

- **-D**

  Daemonize; run **spamd-setup** in the background.

- **-d**

  Debug mode reports a few pieces of information.

- **-n**

  Dry-run mode. No data is shipped.

Lists are specified in the configuration file */etc/mail/spamd.conf* and are processed in the order specified in the *all* tag. Output is concatenated and sent to a running [spamd(8)](/spamd/8.md). Addresses are sent along with the message spamd will give on mail rejection when a matching client connects. The configuration port for [spamd(8)](/spamd/8.md) is found from [services(5)](/services/5.md), by looking for the named service *spamd-cfg*.

**spamd-setup** reads all configuration information from the [spamd.conf(5)](/spamd.conf/5.md) file.

## FILES

*/etc/mail/spamd.conf*

## SEE ALSO

[pf.conf(5)](/pf.conf/5.md), [services(5)](/services/5.md), [spamd.conf(5)](/spamd.conf/5.md), [spamd(8)](/spamd/8.md)

## BUGS

Blacklists removed from */etc/mail/spamd.conf* are not automatically removed from the running [spamd(8)](/spamd/8.md). If an entry is removed from */etc/mail/spamd.conf* that is currently in use, it is necessary to restart [spamd(8)](/spamd/8.md). This applies only to blacklists that are removed entirely, not those that are simply modified.