In our digital landscape, we need to be vigilant. Our services and web solutions must be 100% secure. We want to avoid phishing and spoofing at all costs, and for that, we need the right configurations and solutions. Enter DKIM.
Wat is DKIM?
De afkorting DKIM staat voor ‘DomainKeys Identified Mail’. Het is een techniek die gebruikt wordt om de authenticiteit van e-mails te bevestigen.
Zo kan niet elke instantie gebruikmaken van jouw domein als afzender.
Mail@domein.be is dus perfect gelegitimeerd door domein.be.
How does DKIM work?
DKIM works by adding a unique digital signature to sent emails, confirming that they come from your domain. When sending an email, DKIM generates this signature using a private key that you own. The receiving mail server checks the signature using a public key from your DNS settings.
A matching signature indicates to the server that the email is genuinely from you and has not been altered during transmission. This helps prevent email interception, modification, and forwarding by others, thereby protecting against cyberattacks.
What is the difference between SPF and DKIM?
The distinction between DKIM and SPF lies in their verification methods.
- SPF checks the sender of an email,
- while DKIM verifies the content of the message itself.
SPF is certainly a good first step, but DKIM goes a step further in security and verification.
DKIM does this by communicating to receiving servers that a message from a particular domain MUST contain a signature. This signature must match the public key registered in a DKIM record within the DNS of the sending domain.
As you can see, DKIM is a foolproof solution for phishing and email spoofing.
Some general benefits of DKIM
You can already sense that it is quite necessary for a government agency or administration to use DKIM.
Still not convinced? Here are some benefits in a nutshell:
- DKIM provides strong protection against cybercrime, such as phishing and email spoofing.
A DKIM signature remains intact when an email is forwarded, making it more secure than some other methods like SPF.
Additionally, DKIM improves the reputation of your emails, making them less likely to end up in the spam folder.
Is your domain DKIM proof?
No idea? Make sure to ask your IT manager.
Activating DKIM must be done by your domain name manager. Note: this should only be done after your website is ready for DKIM. Depending on the CMS, there are different requirements.
Specific DKIM requirements for the Paddle CMS platform
When is your Paddle CMS platform website ready for DKIM?
In the Paddle CMS platform, starting from Drupal 10, we provide an additional module to enable DKIM. Through a support contract, you can request the installation of the module and receive support.
As usual, we develop a module to integrate DKIM for every customer.
We are happy to discuss this together to avoid any confusion.
Important: Starting in early 2024, the Flemish Government will require the use of DKIM.
Contact us for more information
What requirements must your Paddle CMS platform website meet to activate DKIM?
- Your CMS must be a Drupal 10 version
- Your website must have the DKIM module configured and installed. The release of the module is scheduled for January 2024. The timely availability of this development is one of the many benefits of the Paddle CMS platform.
Don't have a DKIM module yet? We provide the installation and - configuration through a support contract. The DKIM module configuration will be handled by your Paddle.be project manager.
What can I do for now?
- Ask your IT department to check if you are already using an SPF record.
- Ask your IT department if it is possible to activate DKIM in early 2024.
- Make sure your web form sender is correctly set. The sender's address must always be an @domain.be address, where domain.be is your domain name. No idea how to do that? Here is a small reminder.
Want more information?