DomainKeys Identified Mail

DomainKeys Identified Mail, or DKIM, is a system for verifying the authenticity of an email message by using an electronic signature. When DKIM is activated for a given domain, a public cryptographic key is published to the global DNS database and a private one is stored on the email server. When a new email is sent, a signature is generated using the private key and when the message is received, that signature is ‘scanned’ by the incoming POP3/IMAP mail server using the public key. Thus, the recipient can easily distinguish if the email message is legitimate or if the sender’s address has been forged. A discrepancy will occur if the content of the email has been changed in the meantime as well, so DKIM can also be used to ensure that the sent and the delivered email messages are identical and that nothing has been added or deleted. This validation system will boost your email safety, since you can verify the genuineness of the important emails that you receive and your partners can do the exact same thing with the messages that you send them. Based on the particular mail service provider’s policy, a message that fails to pass the test may be removed or may enter the recipient’s mailbox with a warning symbol.