What are MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records?
In email marketing and secure email communication, various DNS records play a crucial role. MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are essential to ensure the deliverability and security of your emails. These records help verify the authenticity of your emails, minimize the risk of phishing and spoofing, and ensure that your messages are reliably delivered to all email providers.
MX Record
What is an MX Record?
An MX Record (Mail Exchange) is a DNS entry that specifies which mail server is responsible for receiving emails for a specific domain. MX records are critical for email delivery as they determine where emails should be sent when addressed to your domain.
Functions of an MX Record
- Email Delivery: The MX record specifies which server should receive emails for your domain. When someone sends an email to your domain, the sending mail server checks your domain's DNS settings for the MX record to determine where to route the email.
- Priority: MX records can have priority values. If there are multiple MX records, the email is sent first to the server with the highest priority (lowest numerical value). If this server is unavailable, the next record in priority order is used.
- Redundancy and Failover: Setting up multiple MX records with different priorities ensures that your emails are delivered even if the primary mail server fails.
Which MX Record Do I Need for My MAILINGWORK Subdomain?
To fully verify your sender address for newsletter sending, the MAILINGWORK MX record must be added. This is the same for all MAILINGWORK subdomains.
Please add the following DNS MX record in the DNS management of your subdomain:
mail10.sendnode.com.
SPF Record
What is an SPF Record?
An SPF Record (Sender Policy Framework) is a DNS entry designed to prevent spammers from misusing your domain to send emails. SPF records specify which servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain, thereby verifying the authenticity of emails and reducing the risk of email spoofing.
Functions of an SPF Record
- Sender Authentication: When an email is sent from your domain, the receiving mail server checks the SPF record in your domain's DNS settings. The SPF record contains a list of IP addresses or hostnames authorized to send emails for your domain.
- Prevention of Spoofing and Domain Misuse: By authorizing specific servers to send emails, it becomes more difficult for spammers to send fake emails from your domain, enhancing the security and integrity of your email communication.
- Improved Deliverability: Emails sent from authorized servers are more likely to be successfully delivered since receiving servers are more likely to accept authenticated emails and deem them trustworthy.
Which SPF Record Do I Need for My MAILINGWORK Subdomain?
To fully verify your sender address for newsletter sending, the MAILINGWORK SPF record must be added. This is the same for all MAILINGWORK subdomains.
Please add the following DNS SPF record, or integrate it into your existing SPF record:
v=spf1 include:_spf.sendnode.com -all
DKIM Record
What is a DKIM Record?
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is an authentication method developed to detect forged sender addresses in emails. Since March 2023, this method has been mandatory and is one of the criteria for CSA certification.
How Does a DKIM Record Work?
Two keys (private and public) are created. The public key is stored in the DNS settings under the sending domain, while the private key remains inaccessible and is used to create the digital signature for your email.
The sent email includes a special DKIM header, which contains:
- A reference to the public key in the DNS entry of the sending domain.
- The hash value of the normalized content of the email.
- The digital signature of various headers (From, To, Subject, etc., including the DKIM header itself).
The receiving server retrieves the public key from the DNS entry and verifies whether the digital signature is valid. If valid, it calculates the hash value of the email's content and checks whether it matches the hash value in the DKIM header, ensuring the email's content remained unchanged during transmission.
Which DKIM Record Do I Need for My MAILINGWORK Subdomain?
In your MAILINGWORK account, navigate to "Administration" and then "DKIM and Sender Domains." Use the "Create Sender Domain" button to add a new sender domain for your mailings.
Detailed information on how to create a sender domain can be found here.
After creating the sender domain, you will receive a unique public DKIM key. Please add this key in the appropriate DNS settings of your subdomain.
DMARC Record
What is a DMARC Record?
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) is an email authentication protocol designed to enhance email security. A DMARC record in the DNS management of your subdomain allows you to define policies for handling unauthenticated emails and to receive reports about email activities. As of March 2024, DMARC records are mandatory for newsletter delivery.
How Does a DMARC Record Work?
- Email Authentication: DMARC works with SPF and DKIM records to ensure only authorized emails are sent on behalf of your subdomain. It checks whether an email passes the SPF and DKIM checks and verifies the sender's authenticity.
- Define Policies: With a DMARC record, you can specify how receiving mail servers should handle emails that fail authentication checks. Options include allowing, quarantining, or rejecting such emails.
- Reporting: DMARC allows you to receive regular reports on the email activities of your domain, detailing which emails pass or fail authentication checks and providing insights into potential abuse attempts.
Which DMARC Record Do I Need for My MAILINGWORK Subdomain?
MAILINGWORK provides three standardized DMARC records. You can find these under "Administration" > "DKIM and Sender Domains" > "Copy DMARC Record."
Choose one of the three standardized entries and add it to the appropriate DNS settings of your subdomain. These records meet current requirements in their basic form.
Additional "tags" can be added to customize the records. Learn more here.
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