--- title: "How to Enable Spam Protection in cPanel" source: "https://docs.nexcess.com/hosting/control-panel/whm/cpanel/email-management/how-to-enable-spam-protection-cpanel/" description: "Getting too much spam in your inbox? Follow this tutorial on how to enable spam protection in cPanel to protect your email accounts." vertical: "Hosting" date: "2022-06-10" last_modified: "2026-07-02" --- # How to Enable Spam Protection in cPanel Spam email is a hard-fought battle in server administration. Knowing how to enable spam protection in cPanel helps you protect your server and systems by securing your email accounts. These features save time and money lost from potential threats and breaches. Use this guide to enable spam protection in cPanel. [Explore VPS hosting with cPanel](https://www.liquidweb.com/vps-hosting/cpanel/) ## Requirements - A server with cPanel. - The login credentials for cPanel. ## Enable Spam Protection in cPanel 1\. [Login to cPanel](https://www.liquidweb.com/kb/how-to-login-to-cpanel/). ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/image02-cPanel-username-and-password-min-17.png) 2\. Box Trapper protects your inbox from spam by requiring all email senders who aren’t on your whitelist to reply to a verification email before you can receive their mail. To enable and configure it, click **BoxTrapper** under the email section. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/image02-Click-BoxTrapper-min-1024x266-1.png) 3\. Click **Manage** next to an email address to enable BoxTrapper. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/image03-Click-Manage-next-to-an-email-address-min-1024x343-1.png) 4\. Click the **Enable** button. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/image04-Click-the-Enable-button-min-1024x607-1.png) 5\. You receive a confirmation that BoxTrapper is enabled for this address. Click **Go Back**. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/image05-BoxTrapper-enabled-confirmation-min.png) 6\. After enabling BoxTrapper, you’ll want to configure your settings. Click **Configure Settings**. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/image06-Click-Configure-Settings-min-1024x601-1.png) 7\. You can set various options here, including auto-whitelisting for addresses to which you send an email. Update the settings you wish and click **Save**. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/image07-Click-Save-to-save-BoxTrapper-settings-min.png) 8\. A green confirmation message appears. Click **Go Back to BoxTrapper Configuration** to go back to the main BoxTrapper screen. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/image08-Confirmation-for-Boxtrapper-Configuration-Settings-min.png) 9\. Next, click **Edit Confirmation Messages**. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/image09-Click-Edit-Confirmation-Messages-min-1024x593-1.png) 10\. Confirmation messages are responses email senders receive after sending a message to a BoxTrapper-enabled account. You can edit the standard confirmation messages already set up for you. Once complete, go back to the main BoxTrapper screen. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/image10-Edit-Standard-BoxTrapper-Confirmation-Messages-min.png) 11\. Click **Edit White/Black/Ignore Lists**. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/image11-Click-Edit-White-Black-Ignore-Lists-min-1024x602-1.png) 12\. You can add addresses to your Whitelist, Blacklist, and Ignore list in order to permit, deny, and ignore messages from specific accounts. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/image12-Edit-White-Black-Ignore-Lists-Screen-min.png) From here, you can go back to the BoxTrapper main screen to alter some of the many other settings. Once you have BoxTrapper configured to your requirements, you’ll notice a reduction in spam. 13\. Another option for controlling spam is SpamAssassin. You can use SpamAssassin in conjunction with BoxTrapper for maximum spam control, or you can use each tool individually. To enable SpamAssassin, click **Spam Filters** from the cPanel home screen. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/image13-Click-Spam-Filters-min-1024x269-1.webp) 14\. Click the toggle to enable SpamAssassin. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/image14-Click-SpamAssassin-Toggle-min-1024x538-1.png) 15\. A green confirmation appears in the top right-hand corner and the toggle turns on and turns blue. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/image15-SpamAssassin-Enabled-Confirmation-min.png) ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/image16-Spam-Assassin-Enabled-Toggle-Blue-min.png) 16\. To further configure SpamAssassin, click Show Additional Configurations at the bottom of the Spam Filters page. This option only exists once SpamAssassin is enabled. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/image17-SpamAssassin-Show-Advanced-Configurations-min-1024x619-1.png) 17\. Here you can set up or edit your whitelist, blacklist, and calculated spam score settings. ![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/image18-SpamAssassin-Advanced-Configurations-Displayed-min.png) ## Wrapping Up This tutorial walks you through enabling spam protection in cPanel. The ability to enable spam protection in cPanel means your email accounts have a layer of security between spam perpetrators and your users. Liquid Web offers cPanel environments for [VPS hosting](https://www.liquidweb.com/vps-hosting/), [cloud dedicated servers](https://www.liquidweb.com/cloud-hosting/dedicated-cloud-server/), [managed cloud servers](https://www.liquidweb.com/cloud-hosting/managed-cloud/), and [dedicated servers](https://www.liquidweb.com/products/dedicated/) as well as support for these and other functions within the control panel. [Contact](https://www.liquidweb.com/contact-us/) our sales team to get started.