In light of recent announcements by Google and Yahoo regarding stricter email authentication requirements, it's crucial for email senders to understand and implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols effectively. This guide aims to provide answers to common questions and assist you in ensuring the deliverability of your emails to Google and Yahoo inboxes. Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols is essential for maintaining the security and deliverability of your email communications, especially with the recent changes announced by Google and Yahoo. By following the guidelines outlined in this FAQ guide, you can ensure that your emails reach your intended recipients' inboxes reliably. If you have any further questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out to our support team for help.
What are the recent changes announced by Google and Yahoo?
Google and Yahoo have announced that starting early in 2024, bulk senders will be subject to more stringent requirements for email authentication. These requirements include the implementation of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols for email authentication.
What is SPF, DKIM, and DMARC?
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework): SPF is an email authentication protocol that helps prevent email spoofing by verifying that the sender's IP address is authorized to send emails on behalf of a domain.
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): DKIM is a method for validating the authenticity of email messages by attaching a digital signature to each message.
- DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): DMARC builds on SPF and DKIM to provide email senders with visibility into how their emails are being handled by receivers and allows senders to set policies for how emails that fail authentication should be handled.
What do I need to do to comply with Google and Yahoo's requirements?
To comply with the new requirements, email senders need to:
- Set up DMARC email authentication for their sending domain.
- Implement SPF and DKIM email authentication for their domain.
- Ensure that the domain used in the sender's "From:" header aligns with either the SPF domain or the DKIM domain.
Do I need SPF, DKIM, or both?
Both SPF and DKIM are required to comply with Google and Yahoo's requirements. It's essential to have SPF records set up for your domain and configure DKIM signing for your outgoing emails.
Note: Only only SPF record per domain name is valid - having more than 1 for the same domain will cause conflicts
How can I align my "From:" header with the SPF or DKIM domain?
To align the "From:" header with the SPF or DKIM domain, ensure that the domain used in the visible "From:" header of your emails matches either the SPF domain or the DKIM domain.
What are the benefits of aligning SPF and DKIM?
Aligning SPF and DKIM provides an added layer of security and increases the likelihood of your emails reaching recipients' inboxes. It helps mitigate the risk of authentication failures due to DNS issues or forwarding.
Where can I find instructions to configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for Google Workspace email?
You can find detailed instructions on how to configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for Google in the following links:
Where can I find instructions to configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for Microsoft Office 365 or Outlook.com email?
These instructions should help you configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for your Microsoft Office 365 environment:
- Set up SPF in Office 365
- Use DKIM to validate outbound email sent from your custom domain in Office 365
- Use DMARC to validate email in Office 365
We hope this FAQ guide has been helpful in clarifying any concerns you may have regarding email authentication requirements. Reach out to the support team if you need a hand with getting this setup!
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