Overview
Amavis automatically prepends the tag UNCHECKED to the subject line of emails that cannot be fully scanned or decoded. This indicator alerts recipients that the message bypassed standard security checks due to technical limitations, service interruptions, or content restrictions.
Disabling the UNCHECKED Tag (Not Recommended)
Note: Disabling this tag is not recommended, as it removes visibility into unscanned messages and may impact security compliance. Proceed only if explicitly required by your organization's policies.
- Open the appropriate configuration file for your operating system:
- AlmaLinux/CloudLinux/RHEL: /etc/amavisd/warden.conf
- Debian/Ubuntu: /etc/amavis/conf.d/99-warden
- Add the following line immediately before the final
1;statement:
$undecipherable_subject_tag = undef;After making the changes, restart the Amavis service using the command corresponding to your distribution:
// Centos/RHEL/CloudLinux/AlmaLinux
systemctl restart amavisd
// Debian/Ubuntu
systemctl restart amavis- Verify that the service restarted successfully and test with a sample email to confirm the tag is no longer applied.
Troubleshooting
If emails are frequently tagged as UNCHECKED, investigate the following common causes:
- ClamAV Service Interruptions: The ClamAV antivirus daemon may be inactive, crashed, or experiencing high load. Verify that the service is running properly and resolve any underlying issues by reviewing: How can I check the status of ClamAV and fix any problems?
- Password-Protected Archives: Amavis cannot extract or scan files within encrypted archives. When decoding fails, the tag is applied exclusively to local recipients. Ensure that sensitive attachments are not password-protected before submission.
