What is SPF?

SPF, or Sender Policy Framework, is a tool that helps protect email senders and receivers from spam and fraud. Imagine SPF as a kind of “guest list” for emails.

When an email is sent, SPF allows the receiving email system to check if the email came from an approved “guest” on the list. If it did, the email is more likely to be genuine. If it didn’t, the email might be treated as suspicious or even blocked.

Here’s a simple way to think about it:

1. The Guest List: Just as a party host might have a guest list, a company or person can create a list of approved servers allowed to send emails on their behalf.

2. Checking at the Door: When an email arrives, the receiving system checks this guest list. If the email is coming from a server on the list, it’s considered safe to open. If it’s not, the email might be sent to spam or rejected.

3. Purpose: SPF mainly helps reduce spam and prevents scammers from pretending to send emails from someone else’s address.

So, SPF is like a security guard checking names at the door to keep unwanted guests (or emails) out.

Is a high rate of spf fails bad?

Yes, a high rate of SPF fails is generally bad. It means a lot of emails claiming to be from your organization aren’t passing the “guest list” check, which could be due to mistakes or, more concerningly, because scammers are trying to send emails that look like they’re from you.

If SPF fails are high, it could lead to two main problems:

1. Trust Issues: When other email systems see these failures, they might start treating legitimate emails from your organization as suspicious. This could mean more of your real emails end up in people’s spam folders.

2. Security Concerns: A high rate of SPF fails could indicate that others are trying to impersonate your organization to send spam or scam emails. This can harm your reputation and potentially lead to security risks for your contacts.

So, keeping SPF passes high is important for maintaining email reliability and protecting your reputation.

What should be done about a high rate of spf fails?

If you’re experiencing a high rate of SPF fails, here are some steps to address it:

1. Check Your SPF Record: Ensure that your SPF record (the “guest list”) is set up correctly. The SPF record should list all servers and services (like email marketing tools or CRM systems) authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain.

2. Update Your SPF Record: If you work with new email services or providers (e.g., a newsletter platform), make sure they’re added to your SPF record. Each service you use for sending emails needs to be on the list.

3. Limit the Number of Sending Servers: Avoid adding too many servers to your SPF record, as this can make the record too complex and cause issues. Only add trusted sources.

4. Test Your SPF Record: Use online tools to check that your SPF record is set up properly and that it authorizes the correct servers. These tools can help identify any misconfigurations.

5. Monitor Regularly: Keep an eye on your email reports to spot any new issues quickly. You can set up reports that show how well your emails are passing SPF checks so you can react quickly to any problems.

6. Consider DMARC: Adding a DMARC policy can give you even more control over how emails are handled when they fail SPF. With DMARC, you can specify what should happen if an email doesn’t pass SPF, like sending it to spam or rejecting it.

By making sure your SPF record is accurate and up-to-date, you can reduce SPF fails, improve email deliverability, and strengthen your organization’s email security.