DomainKeys Identified Mail, or DKIM, is a method for checking the genuineness of an email using a digital signature. When DomainKeys Identified Mail is enabled for a given domain, a public key is published to the global DNS database and a private one is kept on the email server. If a new email message is sent, a signature is generated using the private key and when the email message is received, the signature is verified by the incoming mail server using the public key. In this way, the receiver can easily know if the email is authentic or if the sender’s email address has been forged. A mismatch will occur if the content of the email has been changed on its way as well, so DomainKeys Identified Mail can also be used to ensure that the sent and the delivered messages are identical and that nothing has been attached or deleted. This authentication system will enhance your email safety, since you can verify the authenticity of the important emails that you get and your colleagues can do the same with the messages that you send them. Based on the given mail service provider’s adopted policies, an email that fails the examination may be erased or may enter the receiver’s inbox with a warning alert.
