DomainKeys Identified Mail

DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) is an email validation system used to confirm that an email has been sent by an authorized server or individual. A digital signature is attached to the header of the message using a private cryptographic key. When the message is received, a public key that’s available in the global DNS database is used to validate who actually sent it and whether the content has been changed in any way. The chief function of DKIM is to block the widely spread scam and spam messages, as it makes it impossible to fake an email address. If a message is sent from an email address claiming to belong to your bank, for example, but the signature doesn’t correspond, you will either not receive the email at all, or you will receive it with a warning that most likely it is not legitimate. It depends on mail service providers what exactly will happen with an email message that fails the signature check. DomainKeys Identified Mail will also provide you with an extra layer of security when you communicate with your business partners, for example, since they can see for themselves that all the email messages that you exchange are genuine and haven’t been meddled with on their way.