simple server-side email forwarding?

nedlilly · 08-30-2009, 10:42 AM

OK, this is going to sound a little odd - but bear with me.

I'd like to set up server-side forwarding for my kid's email account. Basically, I want all incoming and outgoing emails from this (presumably POP) account to send a copy to my email.

My kid is smart enough to turn off any user-configurable auto-forwards or Saved Mail folders. So it needs to be something invisible to the user, and only controllable by the server admin.

I can use the Futurequest CNC screens, but it looks like there's nothing out of the box that can do this? Can anyone direct me to something comparable?

(And yes, I know the answer should be "trust/don't spy on your kid." That's not an option, at least for the time being...)

Thanks,
Ned

*johnfl68* · 08-30-2009, 12:47 PM

Is your kids email address on you FQ server?

If so, all you need to do is go to the CNS Email Manager, select the account, edit Custom Filters, select the type of filter "Simple Filter" and then in the empty block next to it on the same line type forward youremail@domain.com (using the email address you want to forward to).

Then any incoming email to that account will be processed as normal, and a copy will be forwarded to your email address. Unfortunately there is no easy way for outgoing.

John

nedlilly · 08-30-2009, 04:24 PM

Thanks for the reply, John. Yeah, it's the outgoing that is the piece I need... I'm sure there are clever ways to do that with custom scripts and such, but that's a smidge out of my competence zone

nedlilly · 08-31-2009, 08:19 PM

Don't know if it was clear from my last post, but I still need a clue if anyone can help?

Thanks!

*sheila* · 08-31-2009, 08:27 PM

It is not possible to set up filters on the SMTP servers provided by FutureQuest. So it would not be possible to set up an outbound email filter of any type.

The only solution I can think of is that you run your own local SMTP server and somehow set up a filtering mechanism on that. If your kid is that smart, though, he may know how to find alternative SMTP servers.

I just have my daughter (who is not that into technology) using QuestMail for her email access and I know her password, so I can check her emails if I need to (inbound & outbound). I haven't set up a local email client for her. When my two grown children were this age, I did run a local mail server and set up local email client for them that used the local mail server. All mail inbound and outbound was stored on my local server so I could access copies if I wanted to.

Parents should supervise their children's activity IMO. To keep them safe. They don't always know what they need to be protected from. It's not simply an issue of trust.

*johnfl68* · 09-01-2009, 08:41 AM

Unfortunately, there may be no solution. There are some parental webmail and software options, but if the child is tech swavvy (sounds like in this case), what is to stop them from getting a webmail account on there own, and checking email at school, or library, or Internet Cafe, or a Friends.

It is a lot of things; trust, educations, supervision. You can't watch them every minute of every hour (though some try).

Keep computers out in common areas, help teach them about spam and phishing, etc. Tell them to ask you if they are unsure about email content, and hope for the best.

John

*sheila* · 09-01-2009, 11:55 PM

I agree with you absolutely, John.

In point of fact, my daughter actually did go off and get her own Gmail account last year, unbeknownst to us.

We do dialog with her about these kinds of issues (phishing, Internet safety, etc...) It's the best one can do sometimes.