Exchange 2003 Service Pack 2 adds SenderID (aka SPF) support to Exchange. By adding the ability to view SenderID data in Outlook, you can troubleshoot issues easier, as well as create better rules to filter email in your inbox.

Sender Policy Framework (SPF) is a type of DNS record created to help stop Spam. A lot of anti-spam filters include a filter to look for SPF records and if they are forged, block the messages. The easiest way to describe SPF is to call it a reverse MX record. Microsoft has provided a script, which you can download at the end of this article, called SenderID.CFG which can be loaded in Outlook 2003, which will extract the SenderID data. Save the script and place it in the

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\forms\language 

Note: If you do not have a languages folder, place it into the 1033 folder.

Next Open Outlook and select Tools -> Options. Choose the Other tab and click on the Advanced Options button. Next click on the Custom Forms button and then the Manage Forms button. Now click the Install button to install the SenderID.CFG file into your forms library. Click OK until you exit to the main Outlook view then right-click on a column heading and select the Field Chooser command. In the Field Chooser dialog box, scroll through the dropdown list and find the Forms option and then select the SenderID extension and drag it onto the column headings. You will now see the SenderID status for each message.

These status codes indicate each of the SenderID status codes:

• 1 = Neutral - The domain provided no information about the sender
• 2 = Pass - The message was sent from an authorized server for that domain
• 3 = Fail - The message was sent from a spoofed server for that domain
• 4 = Soft Fail - The message maybe spoofed, but cannot be verified
• 5 = None - There is no SPF record for the domain
• 6 = Temp
• 7 = Temp Error - Non-specific error received
• 8 = Perm Error - Error in senders SPF record

For more information see:

SenderID.CFG Script