Overly permissive SPF configurations that make your email infrastructure vulnerable to phishing and spoofing

Overly permissive SPF configurations that make your email infrastructure vulnerable to phishing and spoofing

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 4 minutes

Overly permissive SPF configurations refer to settings that are set so loosely and broadly that anyone on the Internet can send emails from your domain. These configurations weaken your email infrastructure, ultimately exposing your brand name to phishing, spoofing, ransomware attacks, and other security risks.  If unauthorized, malicious people send emails from your domain and…

Everything you should know about typosquatting and how to stay protected

Everything you should know about typosquatting and how to stay protected

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 5 minutes

They say familiarity is deceptive, and we absolutely agree with it, especially in the context of cybersecurity. We base this statement on the paradigm that humans tend to trust patterns and blindly click on something that looks familiar at a glance. While doing this, we tend to overlook minor mistakes or discrepancies that can lead…

What should you do if your SPF record has exceeded the limit of 255 characters?

What should you do if your SPF record has exceeded the limit of 255 characters?

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 3 minutes

If you have just started with SPF implementation for your domain, your SPF record can run into multiple technical issues since there are many limitations and rules involved in creating and managing it. One such rule is that the length of the SPF record should not exceed 255 characters. You can address this issue by…

What are BreakSPF attacks and how can you defend against them?

What are BreakSPF attacks and how can you defend against them?

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 7 minutes

In today’s digital age, email is the most commonly used mode of communication. It is simple and quick, which is its greatest strength and biggest vulnerability. When emails were introduced, the focus was on functionality rather than security, which left gaps for malicious actors to exploit.  As emails became a frequent target for cybercriminals to…

Stay cyber vigilant this Black Friday

Stay cyber vigilant this Black Friday

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 5 minutes

Black Friday sales are the perfect breeding ground for threat actors lurking to exploit excited shoppers. They trick innocent and less tech-savvy people into buying from fake e-commerce websites or sharing login credentials, credit card details, contact details, etc.  As per a report, one in three Americans have fallen victim to online holiday scams, with…

Understanding the use cases for SPF soft fail and hard fail

Understanding the use cases for SPF soft fail and hard fail

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 4 minutes

SPF works on two core components: soft fail and hard fail. Domain owners should understand the conditions under which each of these mechanisms works perfectly. A mindless implementation of mechanisms leads to poor email deliverability and sender reputation, impacting communication and brand integrity. While the soft fail mechanism is lenient, it leaves a security gap….

How to update an SPF record for added senders?

How to update an SPF record for added senders?

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 4 minutes

Creating an SPF record is a one-time job, but you have to keep updating it with new senders. In an SPF record, the term ‘sender’ refers to the IP addresses, domains, or mail servers you recognize and officially allow to be used for sending emails on behalf of your business.  These senders include direct IPs…

5 key contributors to the development of the Sender Policy Framework

5 key contributors to the development of the Sender Policy Framework

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 3 minutes

“None of us is as smart as all of us.” — Ken Blanchard Sender Policy Framework (SPF) is an email authentication protocol created in the late 1990s that is still widely used worldwide. Its success lies in the fact that it’s an amalgamation of the efforts and brains of so many people who kept adding…

SPF Soft fail and hard fail in email marketing

SPF Soft fail and hard fail in email marketing

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 5 minutes

As of August 13, 2024, the United States is the world’s largest sender of spam emails, with as many as 8 billion of them sent daily. China and Germany are closely following, with 7.6 billion and 7.3 billion, respectively. Email-based phishing, spoofing, and BEC attacks are taking over the world. As per the IC3 Internet…

Decoding SPF mechanisms and their role in maximizing email deliverability

Decoding SPF mechanisms and their role in maximizing email deliverability

ByBrad Slavin Reading Time: 5 minutes

In today’s email ecosystem, security and deliverability must go hand-in-hand. Sender Policy Framework is the email authentication protocol that acts as a core line of defense against unauthorized people trying to send emails from your domain. Implementing and monitoring SPF ensures your brand doesn’t get involved in phishing and spoofing.  Email deliverability is a critical…