What is Email Authentication?

Email authentication is a process that helps verify the legitimacy of emails. It ensures that the email you receive is actually from the sender it claims, protecting you from phishing, spam, and other malicious activities.

Key Technologies: DKIM, DMARC, and SPF

• DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): This technology adds a digital signature to your emails. When an email is sent, DKIM attaches a unique signature linked to the sender's domain. The recipient's email server can then verify this signature to ensure the email hasn't been tampered with during transit.
  
  
• SPF (Sender Policy Framework): SPF allows domain owners to specify which mail servers are permitted to send emails on behalf of their domain. It works by checking the sender's IP address against a list of authorized IP addresses published in the domain's DNS records. If the IP address is not on the list, the email is likely to be fraudulent.
  
  
• DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance): DMARC builds on DKIM and SPF. It allows domain owners to specify how their emails should be handled if they fail DKIM or SPF checks and provides reports to domain owners. DMARC also verifies alignment between the From line in an email and the DKIM signature's domain.
  
  

Benefits of Email Authentication

• Enhanced Security: By verifying the sender's identity, email authentication helps protect against phishing attacks and email spoofing, where attackers impersonate legitimate senders to steal sensitive information.
  
  
• Improved Deliverability: Unauthenticated emails are being rejected by major email providers at this time and will be completely blocked in the near future. Authenticated emails are less likely to be marked as spam, ensuring that your important messages reach their intended recipients.
  
  
• Brand Protection: Email authentication helps protect the university's reputation by preventing unauthorized use of our domain in fraudulent emails.
  
  
• Trust and Credibility: When recipients see that your emails are authenticated, it builds trust and confidence in your communications.
  
  

Why Email Authentication is Required for the University Community

As a community, it's crucial to maintain a secure and trustworthy communication environment. By implementing DKIM, SPF, and DMARC, we can:

• Protect Our Members: Ensure that all emails sent within our community are legitimate and secure, reducing the risk of phishing and other email-based threats.
  
  
• Maintain Our Reputation: Prevent our domain from being used in malicious activities, safeguarding our university's reputation.
  
  
• Enhance Communication: Improve the deliverability and reliability of our emails, ensuring that important information reaches all members without being flagged as spam.
  
  

By adopting these email authentication technologies, we can create a safer and more reliable communication network for everyone in our community. Let's work together to implement DKIM, SPF, and DMARC and protect our digital interactions.