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DetectionConfiguration

What is Auto Escalation and How it Works

Auto Escalation is PhishFence's default response mode — it tracks how many detections a user triggers within 24 hours and automatically applies the appropriate punishment, scaling up the more they offend.

6 steps

1

Auto Escalation is the default for every threat type

Info

When a threat rule is set to Auto Escalate, PhishFence doesn't apply a fixed punishment. Instead it checks how many detections the user has triggered in the last 24 hours and escalates accordingly.

2

The escalation thresholds

Info

PhishFence counts all detections for that user in the past 24 hours and applies the highest matching threshold:

1 detectionsMessage deleted & user flagged — no further action
2 detectionsTimeout
3 detectionsKick
4+ detectionsInstant Ban
3

Why a 24-hour window?

Info

The rolling window means a user who triggers one detection and stops isn't immediately punished beyond a deletion and flag. But a user who keeps reoffending within the same day is treated as a persistent threat and escalated fast.

4

Why use Auto Escalation instead of a fixed action?

Info

Fixed actions treat every detection the same regardless of how many times it happens. Auto Escalation gives first-time offenders a lighter touch while making sure repeat offenders are removed quickly — no manual intervention needed.

5

Override individual threat types when you need to

Action

Go to the dashboard → Server Settings → Detection Rules. Any threat type can be pinned to a specific action (Instant Ban, Kick, Timeout, Delete Only, Flag & Alert, or Disabled) independently of the others. Everything left on Auto Escalate uses the 24-hour incident count logic above.

6

Disabling a threat type turns it off completely

Important

Setting a rule to Disabled means PhishFence will not scan for that threat type at all in your server. This is different from lowering the response — it removes detection entirely.

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