Why It Is Crucial To Validate DKIM Record Of Your Domain Using A DKIM Record Checker
DKIM check is an email authentication technique important for preventing phishing, spam, and spoofing.
In the post-pandemic digital era, protecting against email-based cyberattacks is more crucial than ever before. As ongoing precautions force people to work from home, cybercriminals have taken full advantage of the situation. Cybercrime will cost the global economy around $6.1 trillion in 2021, with 91% of all cyberattacks starting with malicious email. A DKIM Check is an email authentication technique that lets receivers check whether the authorized owner of the domain sent the email. Users should also verify DKIM records with a DKIM testing tool for its proper deployment.
Table of Contents
What Is The DKIM Check?
SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol), the protocol used to send an email, does not use authentication mechanisms. The lack of authentication allows adversaries to spoof an organization by sending emails using their domain names. DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is an authentication method that lets an organization claim responsibility for sending an email in a manner the recipient can validate.
How Does DKIM Verify Authenticity?
Users can set up a DKIM signature checker to ensure email authenticity. DKIM verification uses “public-key cryptography,” whereby a digital signature is added to the headers of an email using a “private key” that only a domain’s owner has. This “private key” is matched with a public key embedded in the publicly available DNS records of the domain to verify the authenticity and integrity of an email.
Troubleshooting DKIM Records With A DKIM Record Checker
Using a DKIM tester allows admins to check for problems with configuration and enables further troubleshooting. A DKIM Checker performs a DKIM Record Check against inputted domain name and selector for a published and valid DKIM record. The DKIM validator does this by testing the ability to retrieve the public key.
To check DKIM, admins have two options
Option 1: Admins can use a domain name and selector, separated by a colon, i.e., (domain):(selector). Alternatively, they can
Option 2: Admins can input the host/name format of the record, i.e., (selector).(_DomainKey).(Domain)
selector._exampledomainkey.exampledomain.com
Note: A DKIM selector is text added with any domain for creating unique DNS records during DKIM. Selectors allow the creation of multiple keys for a single domain.
A DKIM validator first:
- Identifies the retrieved record as a DKIM record by displaying tag, e.g., v=DKIM1.
- Shows the key type used. For instance, rsa, and the key length usually 1024 bits. E.g., k=rsa.
- Shows the base64 encoded public key.
It then tests whether:
- The DKIM record is published or not.
- The DKIM syntax check finds if the record is valid.
- The DKIM Key checker finds if the public key is present.
If the selector is not valid, further troubleshooting is needed to test the DKIM record for errors.
Final Word
All marketers and organization admins should realize the value of DKIM, SPF check, and DMARC. Taking the help of the DKIM check along with the other email authentication protocols enhances email deliverability by reducing spoofing and preserves brand reputation. The DKIM signature check needs to be correctly deployed to provide the best results. With the help of a DKIM Record lookup, admins can validate DKIM records and affix emails with a digital signature that authenticates the sender as authorized. Several reliable DKIM lookup tools exist for streamlining the process, and users are recommended to leverage them.
Join the thousands of organizations that use DuoCircle
Find out how affordable it is for your organization today and be pleasantly surprised.
Interested in our Partner Program for MSPs and VARs? Visit Our MSP Partner Program.