Ensuring that emails reach their intended destination is critical in electronic communications, making email authentication the cornerstone of deliverability.
The process of email authentication provides a seal of credibility, distinguishing legitimate senders from potential imposters, thereby increasing the probability of emails arriving in the intended inbox.
Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) is instrumental in this process. By leveraging existing technologies, DMARC provides a verification framework that affirms the authenticity of an email's origin.
DMARC is an indispensable tool for preventing a brand's identity from being compromised through email spoofing, thereby ensuring the integrity of the domain and protecting the organization's reputation against various cyber threats.
Understanding Email Authentication
Email authentication is a technical process that helps verify an email's origin, ensuring that it was sent by the actual owner of the email address and not an imposter. This process is vital in preventing phishing, spam, and email spoofing, where bad actors send emails that appear to come from a legitimate source but are designed to steal information or spread malware.
Email authentication relies on several technologies, including DMARC, Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM).
What is Sender Policy Framework (SPF)?
SPF is a form of email authentication methodology that aids in preventing email spoofing. It allows domain owners to specify which mail servers can send emails on their behalf. This information is then used by receiving mail servers to verify that incoming mail from a domain comes from a host authorized by that domain's administrators.
By checking the SPF record in the domain's DNS record, the receiving server can determine whether the email's source is legitimate. If the email comes from a server not listed in the SPF record, it can be flagged as spam or rejected outright.
This email authentication method is critical in maintaining the integrity of email communication and plays a substantial role in shielding both senders and recipients from potential email-based threats.
What is Domain Keys Identified Mail? (DKIM)
Domain Keys Identified Mail is an email authentication method that allows the recipient to check if the email was indeed sent and authorized by the owner of that domain. This is achieved using a digital signature linked to the sender’s domain.
- The process begins when the sender's mail server generates and attaches a unique DKIM signature to the outgoing email headers.
- Upon receipt, the recipient's server retrieves the DKIM signature from the email headers and fetches the public key from the sender's domain DNS records.
- This public key is then used to decrypt the hash value in the DKIM signature and simultaneously recomputes the hash value for the received email.
If the two values match, it confirms that the email has not been tampered with during transit and comes from the specified domain.
DKIM serves to establish trust and verify the integrity of email messages, thereby helping to protect both senders and recipients from spoofing and phishing.
The Role of DMARC
DMARC ties together these two fundamental authentication mechanisms with consistent policies. It allows domain owners to specify how email receivers should treat emails that don’t pass SPF or DKIM checks.
Domain owners can instruct receiving mail servers to either do nothing, quarantine the message (typically sending it to spam), or reject the message outright.
DMARC also provides the following enhancements to this process:
- Alignment Verification: DMARC checks for alignment between the domain in the "From" header and the domains validated by SPF and DKIM. The email must pass SPF or DKIM and also genuinely originate from the sender's claimed domain, adding an extra layer of security.
- Reporting: DMARC provides a feedback loop by specifying an address where receivers can send reports about messages that pass or fail DMARC evaluation. This reporting mechanism helps senders understand the effectiveness of their email authentication settings and identify potential authentication issues or fraudulent activities.
- Phishing and Spoofing Protection: By enforcing DMARC policies, organizations can protect their brands from being used in phishing scams and email spoofing. This helps maintain their customers' and partners' trust and confidence in their digital communication.
- Improved Deliverability: Emails that pass DMARC authentication are less likely to be marked as spam by email providers, improving the chances that legitimate emails will reach their intended recipients.
Not sure if your DMARC settings are up to date and working as they should? Complete a free domain review now and get a detailed report of any modifications you need to make to ensure email deliverability and security.
Real Life Scenario
One of our clients had its company email compromised with disastrous results.
The threat actors sent fake invoices using a look-a-like-domain, totaling more than $20,000, to a customer list and they were paid in full. No red flags were raised by the domain or server at any point and the company was left in hot water with their customers.
In this scenario, DMARC, SPF and DKIM would have prevented this from occurring.
Our team was able to identify the issue and make adjustments to the company's email domain to ensure authentic deliverability moving forward. The client's customers now feel confident with invoices and other email communication.
Steps to Authenticate Your Email Domain
A systematic approach to authenticating an email domain is essential for fortifying it against threats like phishing and spoofing. This approach involves several key steps:
- Email service selection. Select an email service that supports the standard email authentication standards.
- Creation of an SPF record. This is done by adding a TXT record to the domain's DNS settings. The TXT record lists all the mail servers authorized to send email on behalf of the domain.
- Generation of a DKIM record. A DKIM record is also a TXT record added to the domain's DNS settings. It differs in function from an SPF record by adding a digital signature to the email headers, verifying that the email was not tampered with during transit.
- Implementation of a DMARC policy. This builds on the foundations of SPF and DKIM and adds an extra layer of security by specifying how to handle emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks.
- Ongoing monitoring, modifications, and reports. DMARC reports provide insights into who is sending emails on behalf of the domain, whether those emails are authenticating against the domain's SPF and DKIM records, and how receiving servers handle emails that fail the checks. These reports help fine-tune the DMARC policy over time.
- Testing and verification of the email authentication setup once it is complete. Various online tools are available to check if the SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are set up correctly.
These foundational steps provide the groundwork for an authenticated email domain. However, ongoing work still needs to be completed. Continuous troubleshooting and integration of best practices will ensure that your organization’s email security remains elevated and email communications are delivered successfully.
Troubleshooting and Best Practices
A variety of factors can impact email deliverability. Completing the previous steps will reduce many common issues caused by improper and incomplete email authentication. However, issues will occur, and troubleshooting can effectively resolve the problem.
4 Steps for Successful Email Authentication
Standard best practices include:
- Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. These authentication protocols protect your domain from nefarious use and maintain the likelihood of email delivery.
- Keeping DNS Records Updated. Ensure that your DNS records, especially those related to
- Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are always up-to-date. Outdated records can lead to authentication failures.
- Using Secure Protocols. Always use secure connections for sending emails. This helps protect the information in your emails from being intercepted during transmission.
Importance of Regular Monitoring and Updates
Regular monitoring of email delivery rates and authentication results is vital. It helps identify any potential issues early and allows for timely corrective measures.
Regular updates to email authentication setups, including SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records, also maintain high deliverability rates.
By closely monitoring delivery reports and making necessary updates, you can ensure emails reach their intended recipients reliably and consistently.
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Safeguard Your Email Strategy with Authentication
Email authentication isn't just a recommended best practice; it's the cornerstone of a trustworthy and effective email communication strategy. Sophisticated cyber threats will always exist, but proactive steps like DMARC implementation will enhance and maintain email deliverability.
Implementing DMARC is an intelligent move for any organization that values its digital security and the integrity of its communications.
Your emails deserve to be seen, your brand deserves to be protected and your audience deserves the peace of mind that comes with knowing your correspondence is genuinely from you. DMARC and email authentication allow organizations to confidently reach into the digital world and connect with impact and assurance.
Did you know? A DMARC domain review can help prevent your domains from phishing and email fraud, ensuring more secure, authenticated email communication.
Intersec Worldwide’s free domain review offers a comprehensive solution to enhance your email security and allow sales, marketing and e-commerce teams to ensure deliverability of authenticated email.
Secure your digital presence. Share your domain with us and you’ll receive a free domain review and a critical report listing all the associated IP addresses.
Don't leave your email security to chance. Contact our team to learn more and ensure your organization's communication is trusted, safe and effective.
