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DMARC DKIM and SPF – what are they and why do I need them?
Email is the lifeblood of business communication, but it’s also a prime target for cyber threats.
When it comes to email security, DMARC, DKIM, and SPF are your secret weapons.
DMARC, DKIM, and SPF—are three security measures designed to defend your email domain.
The 3 methods work together to protect your domain from unauthorised access and ensure every message is trusted and verified.
It keeps you in control over your domain’s communications, and help prevent spammers, phishers, and other unauthorised parties from sending emails pretending to be you.
By implementing them, not only do you protect your brand and recipients, but you also improve your email deliverability.
In this blog, you’ll discover how these essential protocols work, and why they’re vital to protecting your domain.
What is SPF ?
Stands for Sender Policy Framework
What exactly does it help you achieve?
It’s a record that specifies the IP addresses and mail servers authorised to send emails on behalf of your domain.
The SPF syntax also dictates how recipient mail servers should deal with unauthorised emails.
The ‘all’ mechanism guides them: ~all (soft fail) signals to push suspicious messages to the spam folder, while -all (hard fail) instructs the server to reject them altogether.
The purpose?
The idea behind this is to minimise the likelihood of receivers (victims of phishing attacks) opening potentially fraudulent messages
What you need to know
Not only does it enhance security, but SPF-compliant domains also enjoy higher email delivery rates.
Be mindful when emails are forwarded, SPF can break, causing confusion at the receiver’s end.
To keep things running smoothly, regular updates to your SPF records are essential.
What is DKIM ?
Stands for Domain Keys Identified Mail
What exactly does it help you achieve?
It’s pair of cryptographically-protected public and private keys.
The private key is secretly stored with the domain owner.
The public key is published in the DNS.
Recipients’ servers can retrieve it for verification. Mail servers receiving the email can verify that the sender’s private key was used by applying the public key
The purpose?
It’s like a digital signature; it enables domain owners to automatically “sign” emails from their domain, just as the signature on a check helps confirm who wrote the check.
It also conducts authentication checks and verifies if the content of an email was tampered with in transit.
What you need to know
It is difficult to bypass DKIM verification checks as it’s based on the cryptography method.
It doesn’t break on forwarding.
DKIM doesn’t allow domain owners to instruct mailbox providers relying on SPF and DKIM for verifying authenticity on how to handle a message that fails authentication checks.
DKIM relaying issues can be triggered if it passes through multiple intermediate mail servers.
What is DMARC ?
Stands for Domain-Based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance
What exactly does it help you achieve?
DMARC outlines the actions for failed authentication
It instructs how mailbox providers should manage unauthorised emails sent from your domain.
General DMARC policies include-
Monitoring policy, no action is taken against unauthorised emails.
Quarantine policy Unauthorised emails are placed in the spam folders.
Reject policy Unauthorised emails are sent back.
DMARC also provides a way for recipients to report on email that fails authentication.
The purpose?
It’s like a digital signature; it enables domain owners to automatically “sign” emails from their domain, just as the signature on a check helps confirm who wrote the check.
It also conducts authentication checks and verifies if the content of an email was tampered with in transit.
What you need to know
DMARC is Only as Strong as its Setup!
DMARC will only protect your domain based on the policies you’ve put in place.
For it to be truly effective against phishing attacks, it’s essential to configure your DMARC records correctly.
With the right settings, you can maximise its power and keep those phishing emails at bay
Each protocol has some pluses and minuses, but together, they complement and complete each other. That’s why this trio should be implemented to attain the highest possible level of security against email-based menaces.
How do SPF, DKIM, and DMARC work together ?
Curious how it all comes together?
SPF ensures that the email is sent from an approved server.
DKIM guarantees the email’s integrity and authenticity through digital signatures.
Then comes DMARC—if an email fails the DMARC check, the recipient’s mail server steps in and follows the policy you’ve set in your DMARC record to decide what happens next!
Where are SPF, DKIM, DMARC records stored ?
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are all stored within the Domain Name System (DNS), which is publicly accessible.
The DNS serves as the Internet’s address book, mapping easy-to-remember web addresses to their corresponding IP addresses.
This allows computers to locate the correct servers and load content effortlessly—no need for us to memorise complex strings of numbers and letters!
Beyond that, the DNS can hold a range of other records linked to your domain, including alternate domain names (CNAME records), IPv6 addresses (AAAA records), and even reverse lookups (PTR records).
It’s the backbone of the Internet, powering both security and functionality!
The importance of DMARC in Cyber Insurance
Since 2020, domain impersonation has increased by 360%, putting your brand reputation on the line.
Email security vulnerabilities continue to be a leading cause of cyber insurance claims, and DMARC plays a vital role in preventing and mitigating such incidents.
Cyber insurance providers recognise the value of DMARC in reducing the risk of email compromise, domain impersonation, and other email-related risks.
Organisations that have implemented DMARC effectively can demonstrate a proactive approach to email security, potentially resulting in better cyber insurance coverage and lower premiums.
Are your email records are doing their job ?
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are essential tools in protecting your business from phishing and email fraud, but they’re only effective when properly configured.
If you’re unsure whether your records are set up correctly, we’re here to help!
Contact us today to ensure your business is fully protected and your emails are reaching the right people—securely and confidently.
As part of our commitment to deliver exceptional services and products for our customers our team is always on standby to assist with any questions or concerns you might have.
With a combination of strategic planning and proper support, we can ensure your email security meets your business’s needs.
Get your free DMARC Record Report
Is your small business have email deliverability issues or just curious about where your business is at?
SouthEast IT can provide your a FREE DMARC Record Checker to verify DMARC and check DMARC SPF DKIM records
The results will also show if there are any problems with your DMARC record and whether you are using external domains.
or find out more click here for an enquiry today.
