DNS Records

DKIM record

DKIM record: Definition & Details

DKIM record is a one really important DNS record type that you should know. So, today we will explore it. First, we will explain what it stands for and then how it functions. Finally, we will see its benefits. So, let’s start. 

What does DKIM stand for?

A security standard for domains to sign outgoing emails through cryptographic authentication is the DKIM record, or DomainKeys Identified Mail. Domains can then show that the emails coming from their end are legitimate in this way. They are hence reliable. Additionally, the DKIM record secures communications to prevent tampering with them while in transit (sending server-recipient server).

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DNS MX record

What is a DNS MX record?

The DNS MX record is one of the most used DNS records out there. Without it, you simply can’t be sure that you will receive any emails! You need the DNS MX record to signalize to the rest of the servers on the Internet, which exactly is your mail server responsible for receiving emails for the particular domain.

What is a DNS MX record?

The DNS MX record (Mail Exchanger) is a DNS resource record that identifies the host with its hostname and is responsible for receiving incoming emails for the particular domain name. It makes that connection between the domain name and the incoming mail server.

If you have yourdomain.com, you can set the MX record with the following parameters:

  • Host: yourdomain.com – your domain name.
  • Points to: mail.yourdomain.com – hostname of your receiving email server
  • Priority: 10 – the priority value could be from 0 to 100, where a smaller number indicates that it has a higher priority.
  • TTL: Time to live value.

How to create a DNS MX record?

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ALIAS record

ALIAS record: Why do you need it?

ALIAS record is one of the not-so-popular DNS records, but it is also very interesting. So let’s explain a little bit more about it.

ALIAS record explained.

The ALIAS record is a DNS record, which helps with linking two hostnames. Simply it is explaining that one of the hostnames is just another way to write the other one. This DNS record is not one of the standard ones, and actually, not every Managed DNS provider is offering it. The main benefit that comes with applying this record is that it can coexist with other DNS records, such as MX record. For example, the CNAME record is not able to do the same. Another amazing thing about it is that it will take a lot less time and present the other hostname and IP address.

How to check ALIAS record?

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DNS AAAA record

AAAA record explained

Domain Name System (DNS) is very important for the Internet to be as simple and friendly as it is right now. DNS is a game where different players have a position to cover for everything to work smoothly. DNS records are among those players. They play a key role in making domain names accessible. Without DNS records like AAAA, the DNS resolution could not be possible. In other words, the process in which domain names are linked to their corresponding IP addresses.

What is an AAAA record?

AAAA record is a DNS resource record. Whenever a domain name is requested, this record has to link such a domain name with its corresponding IP address in order for the site to be served and accessed. 

The browser could not find the required domain names’ IPs successfully by users without the AAAA record help.

Why do you need an AAAA record?

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DMARC record

DMARC record explained

What is DMARC?

DMARC is an abbreviation of Domain-based Message Authentication Reporting and Conformance, and it is a mechanism for secure email exchange that uses both SPF and DKIM. Having set up DMARC properly for your domain will reduce email phishing (thanks to the reporting of SPF) and spoofing (thanks to the encryption of DKIM). You will have a lot higher email sent success rate, and fewer emails of yours will end up in the spam folder.

Using DMARC will allow you to add an extra level of security on top of the SPF and DKIM.

You can set it up stronger, and even if SPF and DKIM pass, the DMARC still fails because of criteria.

You can make it lighter and limit the use to only SPF or only DKIM.

Why use it?

  1. To send emails uninterrupted. The emails will be encrypted, and the receiver will be able to unlock them with the public key. The presence of DMARC will indicate that the domain could be trusted.
  2. To stop others from using your domain name for phishing attacks. DMARC has the power to tell to the receiving servers – the domain is related to those particular servers. Anything different should be discarded immediately. It can work with allowing only good emails or stopping all bad emails, or both.

How to create a DNS DMARC record?

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