DomainKeys Identified Mail, or DKIM, is a system for confirming the legitimacy of an email using an e-signature. When DomainKeys Identified Mail is activated for a given domain, a public encryption key is published to the global DNS system and a private one is kept on the email server. When a new message is sent, a signature is issued using the private key and when the email is received, that signature is ‘scanned’ by the incoming mail server using the public key. In this way, the receiver can easily distinguish if the email message is genuine or if the sender’s email address has been forged. A discrepancy will appear if the content of the email message has been edited in the meantime as well, so DomainKeys Identified Mail can also be used to make sure that the sent and the received messages are identical and that nothing has been attached or erased. This email authentication system will strengthen your email safety, as you can verify the genuineness of the important emails that you receive and your colleagues can do likewise with the messages that you send them. Depending on the particular email provider’s policy, an email message that fails to pass the check may be removed or may enter the recipient’s mailbox with a warning notification.
