SPF Records for emails and why they are important

We know that e-mail authentication can be quite confusing and it might seem like the war against spam is never-ending. That’s why we thought we’d introduce you to Sender Policy Framework – shortened to SPF records – which allows a domain to say which servers are permitted to send emails on your behalf. Now we know that this is a boring subject for many and while you don’t need to understand every detail, it’s a good idea to take a look and make sure you have these in place. So let’s take a look at how you can guard your domain’s reputation and enhance your email deliverability.

What exactly is an SPF?

A Sender Policy Framework is a system that’s designed to tell receiving email servers that the sender is validated and permitted to send from your domain. In other words, it means that the email being sent is checked and verified to be from an authentic address which protects the receiver from possible hoax attacks. While they probably can’t shield you from every spoof, an SPF record is definitely the minimum protection your business should have in place against potential spammers.

So how do SPF records it work?

Let’s get a little more technical. A list of approved sending hosts is published within the DNS – or ‘Domain Name System’ records. So before the email is delivered to the receiver, the host details of the sender are searched within the SPF records to see whether or not it’s an approved sender. If the requirements aren’t met, then the email is blocked. It will be left undelivered or given a high spam/scam score. On the other hand, if the host name matches with an approved domain name, the email will be successfully delivered. Basically, it’s an important anti-spam technique that businesses should make use of.

Why should I bother?

In our opinion, it’s always worth taking an extra security measure. It’s also good to remember the consequences that a malicious attack on your business could have, like:

• Loss of critical data and business time
• Harm to your business reputation
• Monetary loss or fraud

In fact, SPF records are compulsory for many UK businesses and failing to have these security features in place could mean that business emails are rejected by their framework. There are other measures that your IT team can implement such as DKIM (Domain Keys Identified Mail) and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication for extra protection.
Let Advance Computers Hull & York manage your e-mails

We know it can seem like a minefield when it comes to keeping your business information and emails secure. So why not trust the experts here at Advance Computer Systems to look after and manage your emails? To discuss your business requirements, call us today on 01904 653789 or click here.