Email Authentication: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC Explained

SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are DNS-based email authentication tools. They help receiving mail servers decide whether messages claiming to be from your domain are legitimate.

SPF

SPF lists the systems allowed to send email for your domain.

DKIM

DKIM adds a cryptographic signature to outgoing mail. The public key is published in DNS.

DMARC

DMARC tells receiving systems what to do when SPF or DKIM checks fail. It can also send reports to help you understand who is sending mail for the domain.

Why It Matters

These records improve trust and reduce spoofing. They are especially important for invoices, password resets, and customer communications.

Set them carefully, especially if several services send mail for the same domain.

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