What is ARC (Authenticated Received Chain) and its role in email security?

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 5 minutes

ARC or Authenticated Received Chain helps overcome the shortfalls of DMARC, further strengthening the overall email security standards. ARC is an extension of the existing email authentication standards– SPF, DKIM, and DMARC– that has opened gates for validating the sending sources of emails when they pass through multiple intermediate servers. Let’s delve deeper into understanding…

Troubleshooting the ‘SPF alignment failed’ error for unaffected email authentication and delivery

Troubleshooting the ‘SPF alignment failed’ error for unaffected email authentication and delivery

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 4 minutes

When you create an SPF record, the most important step you perform is mentioning all the mail servers or IP addresses allowed to send emails as your brand’s representatives. So, when the domains in the ‘From’ address and the ‘Envelope From’ address, also known as ‘Return-Path;’ match, SPF alignment passes. In simpler words, SPF alignment…

SPF record lookup: A much-needed diagnosis

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 4 minutes

These days, LLMs, or large language models, are making it easier for threat actors to write convincing phishing emails without leaving suspicious red flags, which are traditionally seen as hallmarks of phishing emails. As per Darktrace’s End of Year Threat Report 2023, 38% of phishing emails used novel social engineering techniques. That’s exactly why protecting…

Which IP addresses you should not add to your SPF records?

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 4 minutes

The foremost step of creating an SPF record is enlisting all the IP addresses and mail servers that you want to add to it. These should be all the authorized sources from which you, your employees, third-party vendors, and other brand representatives can send emails.  The reason you need to be careful while listing the…

SPF vs DKIM vs DMARC: The Battle of Email Authentication Protocols

SPF vs DKIM vs DMARC: The Battle of Email Authentication Protocols

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 7 minutes

You might have heard a lot about email authentication and how implementing protocols like SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) can help you strengthen your defenses against cybersecurity threats. In the ongoing battle against email-based threats like phishing, spoofing, and spam, these three protocols are…

Setting SPF and DKIM for Salesforce

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 3 minutes

When using an external email sender, like Salesforce, to send emails from addresses within your domain, it’s crucial to set up SPF and DKIM. Without these configurations, recipients’ inboxes may flag the emails as potential spoofing attempts. The impact varies: some corporate email servers automatically delete such emails, while others redirect them to the spam…

Reasons for Code 550 SPF Check Failed Error and How to Fix it?

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 2 minutes

Domain owners may often come across the ‘550 SPF check failed’ error, which is generally triggered by the absence of a valid SPF record in the domain’s DNS. It also occurs if there is an invalid record present in the DNS of your domain.  It’s a configurational error that can be fixed at the sender’s…

What is the Role and Relevance of SPF Surveys?

What is the Role and Relevance of SPF Surveys?

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 4 minutes

SPF or Sender Policy Framework is the first line of defense between your email ecosystem and email-based cyberattacks. It ensures that only authorized mail servers can send emails on behalf of your brand and from your domain, which helps to protect your organization from phishing and spamming. But what if this line of defense is…

New Update: Microsoft Joins Forces for Stronger Email Authentication

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 4 minutes

It was not long ago when Google and Yahoo revamped their email-sending policies and made DMARC authentication a mandatory exercise for organizations sending more than 5,000 emails a day. The aim of these mail service providers was simple— to build a cyber-resilient digital ecosystem. Recently, another major ESP— Microsoft, jumped the bandwagon and announced that it…