Overview
This guide explains how to configure Microsoft Defender and Exchange to BCC user-reported emails (submitted via the Outlook default add-in) to Phriendly Phishing to provide response back to learners and track reports.
Step 1 : Create a Mailbox to Receive Report Notifications
Create a dedicated mailbox in Microsoft 365 that will receive the initial report notifications from Microsoft Defender. Example: reports@demonstrationcompany.com . This mailbox will serve as the initial destination for all user-reported messages from the Outlook add-in.
Important Notes :
- You may already have an inbox set up to receive reported emails from learners. In that case this step is not required and you can use the existing mailbox.
- If you are already using the Phriendly Phishing Reporter add-in, it would be the same email used in 'Report phishing emails to: ' setting and a new mailbox is not required.
Step 2 : Configure Microsoft Defender User Reported Settings
2.1 Navigate to user Reported Settings
- Go to Microsoft Defender portal at http://security.microsoft.com/.
- Navigate to System > Settings > Email & collaboration from the left menu.
- Select User reported settings.
2.2 Enable Outlook Message Monitoring
- Under the Outlook section, ensure the checkbox "Monitor reported messages in Outlook" is enabled.
- This allows Microsoft to track and process messages reported by users through the Outlook add-in.
2.3. Configure Reported Message Destinations
- Scroll down to Reported message destinations.
- In the "Send reported messages to:" dropdown, select "Microsoft and my reporting mailbox" or "My reporting mailbox only".
- Under "Add an exchange online mailbox to send reported messages to:", add the mailbox created in Step 1.
- Click Save
Step 3 : Create Exchange Mail Flow Rule to BCC Phriendly Phishing on reported emails
3.1 Access Exchange Admin Center
- Go to Exchange admin center - https://admin.cloud.microsoft/exchange#/
- Navigate to Mail flow > Rules
- Click + Add a rule > Create New Rule
3.2 Configure BCC Rule
Create a new rule with the following settings :
-
Name :
BCC Reported Emails to Phriendly Phishing -
Apply this rule if (Click the '+' button to add more conditions) :
-
Condition 1 : The recipient → is this person → (use the mailbox created in Step 1, e.g.
reports@demonstrationcompany.com). -
Condition 2 : The subject or body → subject matches these text patterns →
^(Junk|Phishing):[0-9a-f]{8}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{12}\| -
Why : This regex pattern ensures only reports marked as "Junk" or "Phishing" are BCC'd to Phriendly Phishing. If a user reports an email and then clicks "Undo", the notification subject will start with
Not junk:instead, which will NOT match this pattern and therefore will not be BCC'd. -
Subject format examples:
Junk:9d4387fc-41d2-4acd-a8ea-08de3d209bb5|...✓ (will be BCC'd)Phishing:9d4387fc-41d2-4acd-a8ea-08de3d209bb5|...✓ (will be BCC'd)Not junk:9d4387fc-41d2-4acd-a8ea-08de3d209bb5|...✗ (will NOT be BCC'd)
-
Condition 1 : The recipient → is this person → (use the mailbox created in Step 1, e.g.
-
Do the following :
Details to Add
- AU : Add recipients → to the Bcc box → (enter report@feedback.phriendlyphishing.com)
- UK: Add recipients → to the Bcc box → (enter report@feedback.uk.phriendlyphishing.com)
- Except if: (Leave as "Select one" - no exceptions)
- Final Configuration should look like below :
3.3 Configure Rule Settings
- Click Next and configure the following settings:
- Rule mode: Enforce
- Severity: Not specified
- Match sender address in message: Header
- Leave all other checkboxes unchecked (Activate/Deactivate this rule on, Stop processing more rules, etc.)
- Click Next then Finish to save the rule.
Step 4 : Configure in Phriendly Phishing Platform
- Select the Phish Reporter Tab
- Select Microsoft Phish Reporter
- Enter the Recipient Email address for reported email. (The email set up in step 1 and used in previous steps eg
reports@demonstrationcompany.com) - Save Settings.
Step 5: Create Exchange Mail Flow Rule to Block Internal Reports
5.1 Access Exchange Admin Center
- Go to Exchange admin center - https://admin.cloud.microsoft/exchange#/.
- Navigate to Mail flow > Rules.
- Click + Add a rule > Create New Rule.
5.2 Configure Rule Conditions
Create a new rule with the following settings :
-
Name :
Remove internal company emails from being reported -
Apply this rule if (Click the '+' button to add more conditions):
-
Condition 1 : The recipient → is this person → use the mailbox created in Step 1 (e.g.,
reports@demonstrationcompany.com -
Condition 2 : The subject or body → subject matches these text patterns →
^(Junk|Phishing):[0-9a-f]{8}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{12}\|[^|]*@demonstrationcompany\.com\| -
Note : Replace
demonstrationcompany.comwith your own company domain(s). This regex pattern will match any email address from your domain in the subject line. To block multiple domains, you can use the pattern:\[^|]*@(domain1\.com|domain2\.com\.au|domain3\.au)\| - When a user reports an email from your company domain (e.g.,
user@demonstrationcompany.com), the subject will contain@demonstrationcompany.com, which this regex pattern will match and will delete it.
-
Condition 1 : The recipient → is this person → use the mailbox created in Step 1 (e.g.,
-
Do the following : Block the message → delete the message without notifying anyone.
- Except if : (Leave as "Select one" - no exceptions)
5.3 Configure Rule Settings
- Click Next and configure the following settings:
- Rule mode: Enforce
- Stop processing more rules: Checked
- Severity: Not specified
- Match sender address in message: Header
- Leave all other checkboxes unchecked (Activate/Deactivate this rule on, Stop processing more rules, etc.)
- Click Next then Finish to save the rule.
5.4 Set Rule Priority
Go to Mail flow > Rules
- Ensure the "Remove internal company emails from being reported" rule (Step 5) has a LOWER priority number than the "BCC Reported Emails to Phriendly Phishing" rule (Step 3)
- Lower priority numbers execute first (e.g., Priority 0 runs before Priority 1)
- The blocking rule must run BEFORE the BCC rule
-
If needed, use the up/down arrows or drag-and-drop to reorder the rules
Congratulations ! You have now configured Micorsoft's default SPAM Reporter to integrate with our Phish Reporter.
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