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Sender Policy Framework (SPF) is an email authentication protocol that prevents unauthorized sources from sending emails on behalf of a domain. SPF works by specifying which IP addresses are allowed to send messages from a domain using a DNS record.
An SPF policy tester is a tool that checks and validates these IP addresses. It ensures that the addresses are correctly configured, helping to ensure the record is valid and senders are authorized.
Tip: Ensure email sources are added correctly, as misconfigured or missing senders can cause email delivery failures.
SPF works by verifying the sending server’s IP address against the list of authorized addresses specified in the domain’s SPF record. If the IP address matches an entry in the SPF record, the email passes the SPF check. If not, the email might be rejected or flagged as suspicious.
An SPF record is a DNS TXT record containing mechanisms and qualifiers that define which servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of a domain. For example:
| Host | Type | Value |
|---|---|---|
| @ | TXT | v=spf1 ip4:192.168.0.1 -all |
v=spf1 indicates the SPF versionip4 specifies authorized IPv4 addresses-all instructs servers to reject emails sent from any address that isn’t listedThis configuration helps receiving email servers determine whether an incoming message is sent from an authorized source.
Performing an SPF record check helps ensure the protocol is correctly configured. An accurate record assists your business by:
Misconfigured SPF records can result in failed email delivery or allow cybercriminals to impersonate a domain, posing risks to a company’s security and communication reliability.
An SPF policy tester offers the following advantages:
To use our SPF policy tester:
To maintain valid and effective SPF records, follow these best practices:
include mechanismPTR, which can create reliability issuesProtect your business’s domain and improve email deliverability with a properly configured SPF record. Ensure your company’s SPF record is valid with Sendmarc’s easy-to-use SPF policy tester.
Complete a free test now and take the first step toward stronger email authentication and security. Perform an SPF record check now.
Interested in full email protection? Sign up for Sendmarc’s email security solutions for advanced SPF management, Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) enforcement, and continuous domain monitoring.
To test SPF records, use an SPF policy tester tool, which involves entering an email and IP address. The tool will fetch the domain’s SPF record from the DNS and confirm that the sender is valid.
To get SPF authentication, create an SPF record that lists all authorized email servers allowed to send messages on behalf of a domain. Publish this SPF record as a TXT record in the domain’s DNS. After, use an SPF testing tool to verify that the setup is correct and compliant.
SPF checks the IP address of the sending email server against the list of authorized addresses specified in the domain’s SPF record. If the IP address is listed, the email passes SPF authentication; if not, it might be rejected or marked as Spam.