London, UK, 1 February 2006 – GFI, a leading developer of messaging, network and content security software, has announced the release of GFI MailEssentials 12. The latest upgrade to its award-winning anti-spam software now protects users from phishing emails by detecting and blocking them before they reach the recipient’s mailbox.

Featuring PURBL, a Phishing URI Realtime Blocklist, GFI MailEssentials 12 extracts links from the message body and checks them against a list of well-known phishing sites. GFI MailEssentials 12 also scans typical phishing keywords, which identify and treat the message as spam once found.

The Exchange administrator’s daily workload is greatly minimised as the software works at server level, so administrators do not need to install anti-phishing software on every desktop. Furthermore, the product features server-based Bayesian filtering technology that automatically adapts to each organisation’s email environment, so that administrators do not need to intervene.

GFI MailEssentials 12 incorporates its investment in developing innovative technologies to reduce the number of legitimate emails blocked in error. Features such as email header analysis and keyword checking, and sender- and recipient-based whitelists, in addition to Bayesian filtering technology significantly curb the number of false positives.

David Vella, Product Manager for GFI MailEssentials, comments: “Email phishing scams have already cost companies millions, both in terms of time spent combating the problem and dealing with the effects of the scam. GFI MailEssentials 12 allows business efficiency and security to go hand in hand, allowing companies to use their resources and infrastructure in a far more efficient and cost-effective way.”

The anti-phishing module is available for free for up to one year with each purchase of GFI MailEssentials, whilst GFI customers who subscribe to the Software Maintenance Agreement can receive the module for the length of the Software Maintenance Agreement.

Until March 31st 2006, the anti-phishing module is being offered for free with all purchases of GFI MailEssentials.*

About GFI MailEssentials for Exchange/SMTP
GFI MailEssentials offers spam and phishing protection at server level and eliminates the need to install and update anti-spam and anti-phishing software on each desktop. It offers a fast set-up and a high spam detection rate using Bayesian analysis and other methods – no configuration required, very low false positives through its automatic whitelist, and the ability to automatically adapt to the email environment to constantly tune and improve spam detection. GFI MailEssentials also adds email management tools to your mail server: disclaimers, mail archiving and monitoring, Internet mail reporting, list server, server-based auto replies, anti-phishing and POP3 downloading. GFI MailEssentials pricing is very competitive, with a 50-user version costing just US$725, as an example. More information about GFI MailEssentials and a trial version are available at: http://www.gfi.com/mes/.

* This offer has been extended to June 30, 2006.