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Email Security Checker

Check SPF, DKIM and DMARC in seconds. Email Security Checker audits your DNS records, hardens your domain against spoofing and improves deliverability.

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SPF & DKIM Check

Validate your sender identity and prevents email spoofing and phishing.

DMARC Policy

Ensure your DMARC policy is correctly set up to protect your domain reputation.

MX Records

Verify your mail server configuration for optimal email deliverability.

Misconfigured email security records are one of the most common causes of spam issues, phishing risks, and lost messages. The Email Security Checker helps you quickly audit SPF, DKIM, DMARC and related DNS records so you can protect your domain, improve deliverability, and strengthen your brand’s trust signals.

By turning complex DNS data into clear, actionable insights, this tool gives you a clean vector view of your email authentication posture: what is configured correctly, what is missing, and which gaps attackers could exploit.

What Is Email Security and Why It Matters

Email security, in this context, is the combination of DNS-based authentication and policy standards that tell receiving servers how to handle messages claiming to come from your domain. The key standards are:

  • SPF (Sender Policy Framework) – Defines which IPs and hosts are allowed to send email on behalf of your domain.

  • DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) – Uses cryptographic signatures to prove that the message content was not altered in transit.

  • DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) – Connects SPF and DKIM results to a policy that instructs receivers what to do with suspicious messages (none, quarantine, reject).

Together, these records form the core vectors of your email security: they influence spam filtering, phishing protection, and how mailbox providers like Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo evaluate your domain.

Weak or missing configurations can lead to:

  • Legitimate messages landing in spam

  • Attackers spoofing your domain in phishing campaigns

  • Loss of trust, brand damage, and support overhead

  • Inconsistent deliverability across providers and regions

The Email Security Checker helps you see where you stand at a glance and what needs to be fixed.

How Email Security Impacts Deliverability and SEO

While email security is not a direct ranking factor, it indirectly supports your broader digital presence:

  • Better deliverability for outreach and newsletters
    Campaigns, transactional emails, and outreach messages reach inboxes more consistently when SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are aligned.

  • Stronger brand and trust signals
    A domain frequently used in phishing or spam may be viewed negatively by users and mailbox providers, which can spill over into your overall brand reputation.

  • Fewer support tickets and operational issues
    Clear authentication policies reduce the “I didn’t receive your email” problem, freeing time and resources for marketing and SEO.

Think of email security as part of your domain’s reputation vector: web performance, content quality, and email trust all interact around your brand.

How the Email Security Checker Works

The Email Security Checker queries your domain’s DNS records and evaluates several key components of your email security stack:

  • SPF records
    Checks if an SPF record exists, validates syntax, and flags overly permissive mechanisms (like +all or misused ~all / -all).

  • DKIM records
    Verifies that DKIM selector records are present and reachable, and confirms that they are correctly formatted for major providers.

  • DMARC policy
    Evaluates whether a DMARC record exists, tests syntax, and inspects the policy vector (p=none, p=quarantine, p=reject), alignment mode, and reporting addresses.

  • Additional checks (optional)
    May surface issues with MX records, reverse DNS consistency, or common blacklist indicators, depending on implementation.

The result is a structured report that highlights strengths, weaknesses, and recommended next steps across the SPF–DKIM–DMARC vector for your domain.

How to Use the Email Security Checker

  1. Enter your domain name
    Type your domain (e.g., example.com) into the search field. Make sure DNS changes have propagated before running the check if you recently updated records.

  2. Run the security check
    The tool queries your DNS and gathers all relevant email authentication records: SPF, DKIM, DMARC, MX and related entries.

  3. Review the authentication status
    Look at each vector:

    • Does SPF exist and validate?

    • Are DKIM selectors present for your sending services?

    • Is there a DMARC record with a clear enforcement policy?

  4. Identify gaps and misconfigurations
    Pay attention to:

    • Missing or multiple SPF records

    • SPF records exceeding DNS lookup limits

    • DKIM missing for some providers or subdomains

    • DMARC set to p=none long-term with no enforcement

    • Incorrect reporting addresses or syntax errors

  5. Apply fixes and re-check
    Update your DNS at your registrar or DNS provider according to the tool’s recommendations. Then run the Email Security Checker again to confirm that all vectors are aligned and healthy.

Key Optimization Vectors for Better Email Security

1. Harden SPF Without Breaking Deliverability

Your SPF record should clearly list all legitimate sending sources while staying within lookup limits:

  • Consolidate providers and avoid unnecessary include: chains.

  • Remove legacy services that no longer send mail for your domain.

  • Use -all (hard fail) once you are confident the record is complete, instead of leaving it at ~all (soft fail) forever.

This reduces the attack surface for spoofed mail and gives receiving servers a clearer signal.

2. Ensure DKIM for All Major Sending Services

Every system that sends mail as your domain should sign messages with DKIM:

  • Enable DKIM in your email service provider, marketing platform, and CRM.

  • Publish the DKIM public keys as TXT records for each selector.

  • Rotate keys periodically as part of your security hygiene.

DKIM provides a strong cryptographic vector that protects message integrity and domain identity.

3. Move DMARC From Monitoring to Enforcement

DMARC is most powerful when you move through a measured enforcement path:

  • Start with p=none to collect reports and understand your traffic.

  • Use aggregate and forensic reports to map all legitimate senders.

  • Gradually increase p=quarantine and then p=reject as you gain confidence, possibly using pct= to enforce on a percentage of traffic first.

The Email Security Checker can help you decide when it is safe to tighten your DMARC policy.

4. Monitor Reports and Adjust Over Time

Email security is not a set-and-forget task. Treat it as a continuous improvement vector:

  • Review DMARC aggregate reports regularly to spot new or unauthorized senders.

  • Update SPF and DKIM when you add or remove tools that send on behalf of your domain.

  • Re-run the Email Security Checker after major changes or provider switches.

This ongoing loop keeps your protection current as your tech stack evolves.

Typical Use Cases for the Email Security Checker

  • Before and after switching email service providers

  • When launching new marketing automation, CRM, or support tools

  • During security audits or incident responses related to spoofing/phishing

  • As part of new domain setup or brand/domain acquisitions

  • In regular deliverability and reputation health checks

Using the Email Security Checker in these scenarios ensures your email security posture stays strong and aligned with your business goals.