Check SPF Records: Sender Policy Framework Lookup Tool

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What is an SPF Record?

SPF is an email security protocol that helps prevent fraud and impersonation by allowing recipients to verify if an email is sent from an authorized sender. This helps protect your domain from being misused. Setting up SPF involves creating a DNS record, which acts like a list of trusted senders for your domain.

For even stronger protection against cyberattacks, you can pair SPF with other email authentication methods.

Structure of SPF Record :

SPF Tag	Descriptions
v=spf1	It means the record is an SPF record.
Mx	Allow domains listed MX to send emails for this domain.
a	Allow domains listed IP Addresses to send emails for this domain.
Ip4:173.248.169.10	IP addresses in CIDR format that deliver or relay mail for this domain
include:_spf.mandrillapp.com	This mechanism authorizes the domain/hostname spf.mandrillapp.com to send an email for this domain.
~all	all instruct the incoming email server to SOFTFAIL, or flag email sent from an unauthorized source.

Why do you need an SPF record for your domain?

SPF record will add a layer of security to your domain. It contains the IP Addresses and hostname that are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain.

When you send an email, the recipient mail server will verify your email with the domain's SPF record using DNS lookup. If the SPF is passed successfully, there will be more chance of delivering your emails to Inbox instead of spam.

Email without an SPF record may land in spam, or some recipient email server can directly block emails, so your domain should have an SPF record to mitigate such an issue.

SPF Records Example

Basic SPF record: v=SPF1 mx -all

mx Allows any mail server listed in your domain’s MX records to send emails on your behalf.

SPF record allowing specific IP addresses: v=SPF1 ip4:192.0.2.1 -all

ip4:192.0.2.1 Allows the server at IP address 192.0.2.1 to send emails for your domain.

ip4:198.51.100.1 Allows the server at IP address 198.51.100.1 to send emails for your domain.

SPF record including another domain’s SPF record: v=SPF1 include:_SPF.example.com -all

include:_SPF.example.com This adds the SPF record from example.com to your domain. Any servers allowed to send emails for example.com are also allowed to send emails for your domain.

How to Fix SPF Authentication Failures

Follow these steps to troubleshoot SPF issues:

Use our SPF tool to find any syntax or configuration errors.
Fix the errors by working with your DNS provider to update your SPF record.
Monitor DMARC reports to spot sources failing SPF authentication.
Block or report any malicious sources trying to impersonate your domain.
Use an SPF optimization tool to stay within the SPF DNS lookup limit.

SPF Record Tags Explained

Tags	explanation
v	This tag specifies the SPF version. For most cases, it will be "v=spf1" (SPF version 1).
mx	Allows your domain’s mail servers (from MX records) to send emails. If the email comes from one of these servers, it’s considered legitimate. Default: Current domain.
ptr	This tag in an SPF record stands for "Pointer." It tells the receiving email server to do a reverse DNS check on the sender's IP address. This means the server looks up the IP to see if it points back to the domain listed in the SPF record, helping to verify the sender's identity. This tag is rarely used because it’s slow and unreliable.
ip4/ip6	Authorizes specific IPv4 or IPv6 addresses to send emails on behalf of your domain.
include	This tag lets you add SPF records from another domain. It's helpful if you use third-party email services—by including their SPF records, their servers can send emails on your behalf.
all	This tag sets the default action for emails that don’t match any previous rules in the SPF record. It has four possible values: 1. + (Pass): Accept the email 2. ~ (SoftFail): Accept the email but mark it as suspicious 3. - (Fail): Reject the email 4. ? (Neutral): No specific action

Common SPF Configuration Mistakes

SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is a great tool for protecting against email fraud, but setup mistakes can reduce effectiveness. Here are some common errors to watch out for

Misalignment with Third-Party Vendors

Domain owners sometimes forget to properly align their third-party email providers with their domain’s sending guidelines, which can cause email delivery and authentication issues.

Invalid or Broken SPF Records

If your SPF records are invalid or broken, unauthorized sources may be able to send emails from your domain without detection, putting your email security at risk.

Lack of Additional Security Protocols

Some senders skip setting up extra email security measures like DKIM and DMARC, which add an additional layer of protection to their domain against fake or fraudulent emails.

Ignoring Best Practices

Some senders overlook recommended email deliverability practices and rely only on basic anti-spam filters and email gateways, which may not provide the best protection for their emails.

What is the Use of SPF Lookup?

An SPF lookup helps you check if your SPF (Sender Policy Framework) DNS record is set up correctly.

Benefits of Using SPF Record for Your Domain

SPF helps verify the source of emails, making it harder for attackers to send fraudulent emails that look like they're from your domain. This reduces the risk of phishing and spam reaching your recipients.

A correctly set up SPF record increases the chances of your emails being trusted by email providers, which means they’re more likely to land in the recipient's inbox rather than being flagged as spam.

Having a valid SPF record shows that you're actively protecting your domain from email spoofing, which boosts your domain's reputation with email service providers.

SPF tools make it easy to create and manage your SPF record, helping you avoid errors by automatically generating the correct syntax.

Many SPF tools let you quickly check if your SPF record is set up correctly, ensuring your email authentication is working as expected.

Setting up SPF helps you meet industry standards and regulations related to email authentication, ensuring you're following best practices.

Frequently Asked Questions

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