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…

Difference Between SPF Setup for Small, Medium, and Large Businesses

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 4 minutes

You have a company? You have a domain? You and your team send emails? If the answer to all these questions is a solid ‘yes,’ then you surely can be under the radar of email phishers and spoofers. It doesn’t matter if you have two people in your company or two thousand; you need to…

7 Myths and Misconceptions about Sender Policy Framework

7 Myths and Misconceptions about Sender Policy Framework

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 3 minutes

Understanding the realities and limitations of the Sender Policy Framework (SPF) is crucial for making informed decisions about your email security. Believing in SPF myths can lead to a false sense of security, potentially putting your system at risk. For example, the misconception that SPF is self-sufficient could lead to a lack of additional security…

Setting Up Sender Policy Framework for Amazon SES

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 3 minutes

Amazon Simple Email Service, or SES, is a cloud-based email-sending service developed for businesses that send marketing, notification, and transactional emails. Regardless of the types of emails you send, it’s crucial to protect them from threat actors. Without proper protection, illegitimate emails sent on your behalf could end up in the inboxes of recipients, potentially…

Background of Scott Kitterman and His Contribution to Sender Policy Framework

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 4 minutes

Email security was a headache for tech giants (and even some smaller companies) in the late 1990s. It was the time when threat actors started exploiting email communications to attempt impersonation, spoofing, and phishing-based attacks in the names of reputed companies and domain owners. Considering the rise in email-based cyber menaces, many experts got involved…