Sender Policy Framework (SPF)

SPF allows a sender to verify their authenticity at the e-mail envelope level. The e-mail envelope contains server-centric information concerning details about the e-mail, where it's from, where it's going to and the path that it's taken. This is information that isn't readily accessible to the e-mail user. Think of an e-mail like a real paper-based letter. The envelope contains all the information the post office needs to deliver the letter and return it if there is a problem. It is the same with an electronic-mail envelope. When the e-mail is delivered, your e-mail client discards the envelope and shows you what's in the e-mail itself, just as if you threw away the paper-envelope for a piece of physical maiI.

SPF validates the e-mail at the envelope level, by authenticating the sending server against the e-mail sending address as it is shown on the envelope. The SPF record provides a list of addresses and server types that are allowed to send email on that domain’s behalf. If the domain doesn’t list the originating server as a valid sender, then the email is most likely not genuine and the SPF check will fail.

How to Create your SPF Record

The SPF Record is a DNS Record for your Internet Domain Name. At this time we recommend using MX Toolbox's SPF Record Generator to create an SPF record to put you your DNS records.

See also..

• E-mail Authentication
• DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM)
• Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC)
• IP-based Reverse Address Validation (IP-REV)