What metric would you use to measure how well an SEG detects spam?

To measure how well a Secure Email Gateway (SEG) detects spam, the false positive rate is a critical metric. This rate represents the percentage of legitimate emails that are incorrectly classified as spam. A low false positive rate indicates that the SEG is effectively distinguishing between valid emails and unwanted spam, ensuring that users receive the intended communications instead of losing important messages in the spam filter.

In an effective SEG, minimizing false positives is essential because a high rate can lead to frustrated users who may miss important communications or transactions. Additionally, successful spam detection enhances user trust in the SEG's ability to filter out unwanted content without compromising legitimate email integrity.

The other metrics listed, such as data transmission rate, hardware performance level, and email storage usage, do not specifically measure the SEG's ability to identify spam. Instead, they relate to overall system efficiency, performance metrics, and resource utilization, which, while important for the performance of an SEG, do not directly inform on the accuracy or effectiveness of spam detection.