SPF and DKIM Explained

SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) are both technologies used to help prevent email spoofing and phishing, which are techniques often used by malicious actors to send emails that appear to be from a legitimate source.

Here's a simple explanation of each:

SPF (Sender Policy Framework):

• SPF is like a set of instructions published in the DNS (Domain Name System) records of a domain.

• These instructions specify which email servers are allowed to send emails on behalf of that domain.

• When an email is received, the recipient's email server checks the SPF record of the sending domain to see if the server that sent the email is authorized to do so.

• If the sending server is authorized according to the SPF record, the email is more likely to be considered legitimate. If not, it might be flagged as spam or rejected altogether.

DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail):

• DKIM involves digitally signing outgoing emails with a private key unique to the sending domain.

• This signature is added to the email's header.

• When the email is received, the recipient's email server retrieves the sender's public key from the DNS records of the sender's domain.

• The server then uses this public key to decrypt the signature and verify that the email hasn't been tampered with during transit.

• If the signature is valid, it confirms that the email was indeed sent from the claimed domain and hasn't been altered, making it more trustworthy.

In essence, SPF specifies which servers are allowed to send emails on behalf of a domain, while DKIM ensures that emails haven't been tampered with and actually originated from the claimed domain. Both technologies work together to help authenticate emails and reduce the likelihood of spoofing and phishing attacks.