Term: SPF

SPF, or Sender Policy Framework, is a protocol businesses use to verify their identity when sending emails. By looking up the SPF record for a domain, businesses can prevent spoofing and phishing attacks. SPF works by adding a special TXT record to a domain’s DNS (Domain Name System) records. This TXT record contains a list of all the IP addresses that are authorized to send email on behalf of the domain. When an email is received, the SPF check is performed by looking up the SPF record for the domain in the email’s “From” header. If the IP address of the email server is not on the list, the email will fail the SPF check and will likely be marked as spam. SPF is just one of several methods businesses can use to protect their email domains from abuse. Others include DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail). By configuring these settings correctly, businesses can help ensure that their emails are delivered safely and securely.