Skip to product menu
close
  • Recent Launches
    Press Space or Enter to display list of options
EXPLORE ALL PRODUCTS

Recent Launches

New

Payroll software with automated tax payments and filing.

Try now
New

Robotic process automation software to automate high-volume, rule-based tasks.

Try for free
New

Low-code IoT platform and solutions for connected businesses.

Try now
New

Business formation service to launch and grow your businesses.

Try now
New

Privacy-friendly application analytics solution.

Try for free

Sales

 
CRM

Comprehensive CRM platform for customer-facing teams.

CRM
 
Bigin

Simple CRM for small businesses moving from spreadsheets.

Bigin
 
Forms

Build online forms for every business need.

Forms
 
SalesIQ

Live chat app to engage and convert website visitors.

SalesIQ
 
Bookings

Appointment scheduling app for consultations with customers.

Bookings
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
RouteIQ

Comprehensive sales map visualization and optimal route planning solution.

RouteIQ
 
Thrive

Complete loyalty and affiliate management platform.

Thrive
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
Suites
CRM Plus

Unified platform to deliver top-notch customer experience.

CRM Plus

Marketing

 
Social

All-in-one social media management software.

Social
 
Campaigns

Create, send, and track targeted email campaigns that drive sales.

Campaigns
 
Forms

Build online forms for every business need.

Forms
 
Survey

Design surveys to reach and interact with your audience.

Survey
 
Sites

Online website builder with extensive customisation options.

Sites
 
PageSense

Website conversion optimization and personalisation platform.

PageSense
 
Backstage

End-to-end event management software.

Backstage
 
Webinar

Webinar platform for webcasting online webinars.

Webinar
 
Marketing Automation

All-in-one marketing automation software.

Marketing Automation
 
LandingPage

Smart landing page builder to increase conversion rates

LandingPage
 
Publish

Manage all your local business listings on a single platform.

Publish
 
SalesIQ

Live chat app to engage and convert website visitors.

SalesIQ
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Thrive

Complete loyalty and affiliate management platform.

Thrive
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
NEW
LeadChain

Sync, manage, and convert leads across channels seamlessly.

LeadChain
 
NEW
CommunitySpaces

Online community platform for individuals and businesses to grow their network and brand.

CommunitySpaces
 
Suites
Marketing Plus

Unified marketing platform for marketing teams.

Marketing Plus

Commerce and POS

 
Commerce

eCommerce platform to manage and market your online store.

Commerce

Service

 
Desk

Helpdesk software to deliver great customer support.

Desk
 
Assist

Remote support and unattended remote access software.

Assist
 
Lens

Interactive remote assistance software with augmented reality.

Lens
 
FSM

End-to-end field service management platform for service businesses.

FSM
 
SalesIQ

Live chat app to engage and convert website visitors.

SalesIQ
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
NEW
Solo

The all-in-one toolkit for solopreneurs.

Solo
 
Bookings

Appointment scheduling app for consultations with customers.

Bookings
 
Suites
Service Plus

Unified platform for customer service and support teams.

Service Plus

Finance

 
Books

Powerful accounting platform for growing businesses.

Books
 
FREE
Invoice

100% Free invoicing solution.

Invoice
 
Expense

Effortless expense reporting platform.

Expense
 
Inventory

Powerful stock management and inventory control software.

Inventory
 
Billing

End-to-end billing solution for your business.

Billing
 
Checkout

Collect payments online with custom branded pages.

Checkout
 
NEW
Payroll

Payroll software with automated tax payments and filing.

Payroll
 
NEW
Solo

The all-in-one toolkit for solopreneurs.

Solo
 
Practice

Practice management software for accounting firms.

Practice
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Commerce

eCommerce platform to manage and market your online store.

Commerce
 
Suites
Finance Plus

All-in-one suite to manage your operations and finances.

Finance Plus

Email and Collaboration

 
Mail

Secure email service for teams of all sizes.

Mail
 
Meeting

Online meeting software for all your video conferencing & webinar needs.

Meeting
 
Writer

Word processor for focused writing and discussions.

Writer
 
Sheet

Spreadsheet software for collaborative teams.

Sheet
 
Show

Create, edit, and share slides with a sleek presentation app.

Show
 
Notebook

Beautiful home for all your notes.

Notebook
 
Cliq

Stay in touch with teams no matter where you are.

Cliq
 
Connect

Employee experience platform to communicate, engage, and build positive employee relations.

Connect
 
Bookings

Appointment scheduling app for consultations with customers.

Bookings
 
TeamInbox

Shared inboxes for teams.

TeamInbox
 
WorkDrive

Online file management for teams.

WorkDrive
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Office Suite

Powerful collaborative work platform for teams.

Office Suite
 
Office Integrator

Built in document editors for web apps.

Office Integrator
 
ZeptoMail

Secure and reliable transactional email sending service.

ZeptoMail
 
Calendar

Online business calendar to manage events and schedule appointments.

Calendar
 
Learn

Knowledge and learning management platform.

Learn
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
ToDo

Collaborative task management for individuals and teams.

ToDo
 
Tables

Work management tool to connect people, processes, and information.

Tables
 
FREE
PDF Editor

Collaborative online PDF editing tool.

PDF Editor
 
Suites
Workplace

Application suite built to improve team productivity and collaboration.

Workplace

Human Resources

 
People

Organize, automate, and simplify your HR processes.

People
 
Recruit

Intuitive recruiting platform built to provide hiring solutions.

Recruit
 
Expense

Effortless expense reporting platform.

Expense
 
Workerly

Manage temporary staffing with an employee scheduling solution.

Workerly
 
NEW
Payroll

Payroll software with automated tax payments and filing.

Payroll
 
Shifts

Employee scheduling and time tracking app.

Shifts
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Suites
People Plus

Comprehensive HR platform for seamless employee experiences.

People Plus

Security and IT Management

 
Creator

Build custom apps to simplify business processes.

Creator
 
Directory

Workforce identity and access management solution for cloud businesses.

Directory
 
FREE
OneAuth

Secure multi-factor authenticator (MFA) for all your online accounts.

OneAuth
 
Vault

Online password manager for teams.

Vault
 
Catalyst

Pro-code platform to build and deploy your apps.

Catalyst
 
Toolkit

Complete resource for any admin-related lookup queries.

Toolkit
 
Lens

Interactive remote assistance software with augmented reality.

Lens
 
Assist

Remote support and unattended remote access software.

Assist
 
QEngine

Test automation software to build, manage, execute, and report testcases.

QEngine
 
NEW
RPA

Automate manual, tedious, and repetitive tasks easily.

RPA

BI and Analytics

 
Analytics

Modern self-service BI and analytics platform.

Analytics
 
Embedded BI

Embedded analytics and white label BI solutions, tailored for your needs.

Embedded BI
 
DataPrep

AI-powered data preparation service for your data-driven organization.

DataPrep
 
NEW
IoT

Harnessing IoT analytics for real-time operational intelligence.

IoT

Project Management

 
Projects

Manage, track, and collaborate on projects with teams.

Projects
 
Sprints

Planning and tracking tool for scrum teams.

Sprints
 
BugTracker

Automatic bug tracking software for managing bugs.

BugTracker
 
NEW
Solo

The all-in-one toolkit for solopreneurs.

Solo

Developer Platforms

 
Creator

Build custom apps to simplify business processes.

Creator
 
Flow

Automate business workflows by creating smart integrations.

Flow
 
Catalyst

Pro-code platform to build and deploy your apps.

Catalyst
 
Office Integrator

Built in document editors for web apps.

Office Integrator
 
ZeptoMail

Secure and reliable transactional email sending service.

ZeptoMail
 
QEngine

Test automation software to build, manage, execute, and report testcases.

QEngine
 
Tables

Work management tool to connect people, processes, and information.

Tables
 
NEW
RPA

Automate manual, tedious, and repetitive tasks easily.

RPA
 
NEW
Apptics

Application analytics for all apps.

Apptics
 
Embedded BI

Embedded analytics and white label BI solutions, tailored for your needs.

Embedded BI
 
NEW
IoT

Build, deploy, and scale IoT solutions for connected businesses.

IoT
 
DataPrep

AI-powered data preparation service for your data-driven organization.

DataPrep

IoT

 
NEW
IoT

Low-code IoT platform and solutions for connected businesses.

IoT

Search Result

 
CRM Plus

Unified platform to deliver top-notch customer experience.

Try now
CRM Plus
 
Service Plus

Unified platform for customer service and support teams.

Try now
Service Plus
 
Finance Plus

All-in-one suite to manage your operations and finances.

Try now
Finance Plus
 
People Plus

Comprehensive HR platform for seamless employee experiences.

Try now
People Plus
 
Workplace

Application suite built to improve team productivity and collaboration.

Try now
Workplace
 
Marketing Plus

Unified marketing platform for marketing teams.

Try now
Marketing Plus
 
All-in-one suite

Zoho One

The Operating System for Business

Run your entire business on Zoho with our unified cloud software, designed to help you break down silos between departments and increase organizational efficiency.

TRY ZOHO ONE
Zoho One
Zoho Marketplace

With over 2000 ready-to-use extensions across 40+ categories, connect your favorite business tools with the Zoho products you already use.

EXPLORE MARKETPLACE
Marketplace
Skip to main content

DKIM records explained

  • Published : January 30, 2024
  • Last Updated : November 28, 2024
  • 363 Views
  • 5 Min Read

Consider this scenario. You pack a set of cookies for your friend and send it through a delivery service. They receive the package only to find them half-eaten and the box mostly empty. Frustrating and scary, right? You can always bake a fresh set for your friend. But, what if you have to send a smaller package through a vast network, passing through numerous checkpoints, with no way for you to track its every movement while ensuring that no one has opened it in transit? On any given day, you’ll be sending out numerous such packages—i.e., emails—hoping that they get through.

Instead of having hope as your only aid, you can take action by adopting practices that ensure your emails get through safely. One such mechanism that ensures that your emails aren’t altered in transit is Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM). It involves signing your email with a key, which can then be verified by the recipient to make sure it hasn't been changed. DKIM works in tandem with two other authentication protocols in giving complete protection for the emails sent out from your domain.

What is DKIM?

DKIM is used to determine if the contents of your email have been modified in transit. This is done using a mechanism called public key cryptography. DKIM essentially ensures that the sending domain isn’t being spoofed to send unwarranted emails. This is done using two keys, a public key and a private key.

The sender signs the email with their private key, and also publishes a DKIM record (i.e., TXT) in their DNS server. This TXT record contains the public key, which can be retrieved by the receiving server to validate the email.

Why should I add DKIM

DKIM, or any other authentication mechanism, helps make the work of spammers harder, preventing your domain from being used for spoofing or phishing activities. DKIM helps you with the following:

  • It helps the receiver check if the contents of the emails have been tampered with or altered in transit. This way, it helps check for email frauds.
  • DKIM doesn't verify the sender's identity, rather it authenticates the sender's domain. So, if someone impersonates your domain to send emails, it won’t have the private key signed, which will make it fail the DKIM authentication.
  • DKIM also reduces spam and ensures your emails are delivered to the inbox. This will boost your sender reputation as a valid source and, in turn, your deliverability.

What does DKIM look like?

There are two components of DKIM:

  • The DKIM signature.
  • The public key that’s published by the sender.

The DKIM signature is the encrypted hash value of the contents and headers of an email. This encryption is done using the private key available with the sender. You can view this signature in any email you receive. Depending on the email client you use, by selecting Show original or View raw message a typical DKIM signature looks like this:

DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=zbank.com; s=zbank; t=17**1; bh=rirCV***0=; h=Date:From:To:Subject; b=fm***KMgZQ==

  • V = This tag denotes the version of the DKIM signature used.
  • A = This contains the algorithm used to generate the DKIM signature. The commonly used algorithms are rsa-sha1 or rsa-sha256.
  • C = This canonicalization indicates how the components were prepared for hashing. There are two methods - simple or relaxed.
  • D = Indicates the domain from where the DKIM public key is to be fetched from.
  • S = The selector that’s used to fetch the correct public key for the domain.
  • Bh = Hash of the canonicalized part of the email body.
  • H = The header data that has been included in the signature.
  • B = Cryptographic signature of all the information that precedes the DKIM signature. This is treated as an empty string.

This signature will be added to all outgoing messages from your server, which will then be evaluated by the receiver.

Next, let’s look at the public key that the sender publishes in their DNS records. If you’re using an email service provider like Zoho ZeptoMail, you can generate the public key directly from your account. Otherwise, you can use online tools to generate your DKIM signature. The key looks like this:

k=rsa; p=MIG***AB

  • K = Denotes the type of key that’s being used. Rsa is the default type.
  • P = The public key used to decrypt the message.

How does DKIM work?

Consider this example of a transactional email being sent from your application. This is how DKIM is used to secure your email.

  • Say you use an email service provider (ESP) like ZeptoMail to send out your transactional emails. When an action is performed on your application and an email is triggered, the ESP converts the contents and the header of the email into a hash value.
  • The ESP then signs the email using the private key generated, which becomes the DKIM signature.
  • Meanwhile, you should publish the public key for your domain in your DNS records.
  • On receiving the email, the recipient server will look for the DKIM signature, and using the "d" and "s" elements, will find your public key from your domain.
  • The receiving server will then decrypt the signature and build its own canonicalized copy using the algorithm and data available in the signature. This copy doesn’t replace the original content.
  • This will be compared with the hash values available. If they match, DKIM is said to pass. Otherwise, it’s a fail, and the email will either be sent to spam or rejected.

You can check if you have configured DKIM properly by sending a test email to yourself. In the expanded header of the received email, you’ll be able to view the status of the DKIM authentication.

DKIM in ZeptoMail

DKIM is one of the important steps in authenticating the domains you add to your Zoho ZeptoMail account, along with SPF. Domain authentication is essential to start sending your emails, as it helps legitimize your domain and reduce spam instances. This mandatory step ensures that your domain reputation is intact and your transactional emails reach your recipients on time.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked

By submitting this form, you agree to the processing of personal data according to our Privacy Policy.

You may also like