DKIM (Domain-Keys Identified Mail) is a security protocol. Email communications are authenticated using it to make sure their transmission was unaltered. A digital signature that is linked to an email message is called a DKIM record. This record confirms the sender’s legitimacy and shields the receiver against spam or phishing communications.
We’ll describe what a DKIM record is in this blog post, how to make one for your domain, and how to add your public key to your DNS record.
What is a DKIM record?
To help validate your email communications, a DKIM record is an additional identification that is added to your DNS records. A cryptographic procedure is used to build a distinct hash of the email message that is used to construct the DKIM record. After that, a private key is used to encrypt the hash. The email message’s DKIM-Signature header contains this encrypted hash. The public key made available in your domain’s DNS records can then be used by the recipient’s email server. With the help of this key, you may decode the hash and check whether the email message was intact during transmission.
How do you create a DKIM record for your domain?
To create a DKIM record for your domain, you’ll need to follow these steps:
- Generate a private key: You’ll need to generate a private key to sign your email messages. This private key should be kept secret and stored securely.
- Select a selector: The selector is a string that is used to identify the public key in your DNS records. You can use any string you like, but it’s recommended to use a unique string, such as “DKIM”.
- Create the DKIM-Signature header: You’ll need to add a DKIM-Signature header to your email messages that includes the selector, the domain name, and the encrypted hash of the email message.
- Publish your public key in your DNS records: You’ll need to publish your public key in your DNS records as a text (TXT) record. The public key should be published using the selector and domain name specified in the DKIM-Signature header.
What to consider before creating a DKIM record?
Before creating a DKIM record, there are a few things you should consider:
- Key length: The length of the key you generate will affect the security of your DKIM record. It’s recommended to use a key length of at least 1024 bits.
- Domain alignment: The domain specified in the DKIM-Signature header should match the domain used in the “From” field of the email message.
- Email client support: Not all email clients support DKIM, so it’s important to test your DKIM record on a variety of email clients to ensure it’s working as expected.
How to test a DKIM record?
You may make use of a DKIM validating tool to examine your DKIM record. Instead, send a test email to a DKIM-validated email address. You can check the email headers once you get the message to make sure. It checks to see whether there is a DKIM-Signature header present and that the email message’s hash corresponds to the encrypted hash in the DKIM-Signature header.
Setting up a DKIM record with DMARC.
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) is an email authentication protocol that builds on top of SPF and DKIM to provide a more comprehensive email authentication solution.
To set up a DKIM record with DMARC, you’ll need to follow these steps:
- Create a DMARC record: You’ll need to create a DMARC record that specifies the email authentication policies for your domain.
- Align your SPF and DKIM records: Your SPF and DKIM records should align with the domain specified in the “From” field of the email message. This will ensure that your DMARC record will work as expected.
- Publish your DMARC record in your DNS records: You’ll need to publish your DMARC record in your DNS records as a text (TXT) record.
Finally, setting up a DKIM record for your domain is essential. So it upholds the confidentiality and safety of your email exchanges. A DKIM record represents a digital signature. It authenticates an email’s legitimacy and its contents. Moreover, it makes sure that they weren’t changed or tampered with during transmission. This aids in shielding your domain from harmful emails, such as spam and phishing efforts, as well as your receivers.
“Security is a process, not a product.”
Setting up a DKIM record is just one step in the long process of safeguarding your email correspondence. The simple procedures listed above make it simple to set up and add a DKIM record to your domain’s DNS. Hence, your emails will be much more secure.