Restricted Distribution Lists

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Another effective deterrent against spam is to use restricted distribution lists within your Exchange organization. A restricted distribution list allows only authenticated users to send messages. This is especially important because, if spammers knew the alias of a distribution list, they could reach many of your employees with one e-mail message. Restricting distribution lists is especially effective for large lists that contain many nested distribution lists.

For detailed steps, see How to Set a Distribution List as Restricted.

Note

Be aware that many spammers use dictionary attacks (attacks using software that opens a connection to the target mail server and then rapidly submits millions of random e-mail addresses) as a mechanism to reach recipients. Distribution lists are often represented by an alias that is a common dictionary word.