An Advanced Guide to Protecting Your Business’s Inbox

Your client gets an email that appears to be from you, but it isn’t. Now your reputation is on the line because of a scam.

In fact, over 90% of cyberattacks start with phishing emails, according to America’s Cyber Defense Agency.

Wondering how to fix this? It is possible with tools like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. They assist in ensuring your emails are legitimate and go to the right recipient. Whether you’re using Gmail, Outlook, or a custom domain, these tools are key. The best part is that you do not have to set it up on your own,   small business IT services can help.

Three Tools Can Protect Your Business Inbox

These tools help ensure that any email claiming to be from your business actually is:

SPF: This is like your sender list. It tells email servers which systems are allowed to send messages from your domain.

DKIM: This adds a digital signature to your emails, which cannot be replicated accurately. It is proof that your email is not altered.

DMARC: Steps in if something looks suspicious. It tells the receiving server if an email needs to be blocked, flagged, or let through.

Why This is Essential for Small Businesses 

Email fraud doesn’t just happen to big companies; small businesses are often easy targets for scammers. Without the right email protection, cybercriminals can spoof your domain and trick your customers or employees into clicking harmful links or sending them money. It also hurts your email delivery and puts your reputation on the line. Your legitimate emails might get flagged as spam or fail to reach inboxes altogether.

By setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC the right way, you’re not just improving your email security. You’re protecting your reputation, making sure your emails actually reach your audience, and giving your customers one more reason to trust your business.

How SPF Works

SPF works like an approved guest list for your domain. You decide which servers are allowed to send emails from your business. These permissions are saved in your domain’s DNS settings.

When a mail server receives your email, it looks at your SPF record to see if the sender is allowed. If the sender isn’t on the list, the email will likely be sent to spam or stopped completely.

The Role of DKIM 

DKIM helps validate that your email hasn’t been tampered with after you click send. The server does this by adding a digital signature after you press the “Send” button. That signature is made using a private key that resides solely on your server.

After receiving the message, the recipient’s email service checks your public key stored in DNS and uses it to confirm the signature. If everything aligns, the email clears the verification process.

This demonstrates that your message was sent from an authenticated source and that no modifications were made during transmission.

How DMARC Secures It

DMARC is where the real control kicks in. It looks at the results from SPF and DKIM checks and tells the receiving email server exactly how to handle the message.

You get to decide the following:

• Should emails that fail go straight to spam? 
• Should they be blocked entirely? 
• Or should they still be delivered, just monitored?

DMARC also lets you receive reports showing who’s sending emails from your domain, whether they’re legitimate or fake. These reports help you fine-tune your settings and catch potential threats early.

Where These Records Live

As with any domain, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are kept in the DNS of your domain. Think of DNS as the Internet’s directory, it helps web browsers and mail servers find the right place for your website or email.

 

You or your IT provider can add these authentication records as TXT entries in your DNS settings. Most domain hosts make this pretty simple, and if you’ve got a small business IT team helping out, they’ll take care of it easily.

How to Tell if an Email Passed the Tests

If you’re curious about whether a particular email passed SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, there’s a way to check.

In most email platforms, you can open the email and select “View Original” or “Show Headers.” Then, look for lines like this:

ini

CopyEdit

spf=pass

dkim=pass

dmarc=pass

If all three say “pass,” you’re good. If one fails, it could be a red flag, especially if it’s pretending to be from a business you trust.

Don’t Set It and Forget It

Here’s the kicker. Just having SPF, DKIM, and DMARC isn’t enough. You need to set them up correctly.

Misconfigured records can do more harm than good. Your legitimate emails might not get delivered, or spoofed ones might still slip through. Even domains that don’t send email should have DMARC records in place, just to block bad actors from using them.

That’s why this kind of setup is best done with expert guidance. Small business IT teams can ensure your DNS records are perfectly configured,  without causing any issues with your website or email.

Lock Down Your Emails with Elliman Technologies

Scam emails have become more advanced these days, and businesses of all sizes can fall victim. But with the right tools in place, you can keep your email communication secure, protect your brand, and stop attackers before they do any damage.

 

Don’t know where to begin? Elliman Technologies offers expert small business IT services to help you implement these protections with confidence.

Schedule a free consultation today and take the first step toward safer, smarter email communication.