As the number of cyber-attacks increases, it is essential to implement robust email authentication protocols to protect sensitive information from being accessed by unauthorized parties. Two such authentication protocols are DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance). Although both these protocols are used to verify the authenticity of email messages, they have different functions. In this blog post, we will explore the difference between DKIM and DMARC.
What is DKIM?
DKIM is an email authentication protocol that is used to verify the authenticity of an email message by checking if the message was sent by an authorized sender. It works by adding a digital signature to the header of the email message. This digital signature is created using a private key that belongs to the sender’s domain. When the recipient receives the email message, their email client will use the sender’s public key to decrypt the digital signature and verify that the email was indeed sent by an authorized sender.
What is DMARC?
DMARC, on the other hand, is a policy-based email authentication protocol that is used to detect and prevent email spoofing. It is used to provide email domain owners with the ability to specify how their emails should be handled by the recipient’s email server if the message fails the DKIM or SPF (Sender Policy Framework) authentication checks. DMARC is a more advanced protocol than DKIM as it provides an extra layer of protection against domain spoofing.
Difference between DKIM and DMARC
While both DKIM and DMARC are used to verify the authenticity of email messages, there are some fundamental differences between the two protocols. The primary difference between DKIM and DMARC is their function. DKIM is used to add a digital signature to the header of the email message to verify its authenticity, whereas DMARC is used to detect and prevent email spoofing by providing email domain owners with policy-based controls.
Another difference between DKIM and DMARC is that DKIM only checks the authenticity of the email message header, while DMARC checks both the header and the body of the email message. This means that DMARC can provide more detailed information about the email’s origin, making it easier to detect and prevent email spoofing.
To summarize, while both DKIM and DMARC are essential email authentication protocols, they serve different functions. DKIM is used to verify the authenticity of an email message by adding a digital signature to the header, while DMARC is used to detect and prevent email spoofing by providing email domain owners with policy-based controls. As cyber-attacks become increasingly sophisticated, it is essential to implement robust email authentication protocols to protect sensitive information from being accessed by unauthorized parties. By implementing DKIM and DMARC, you can help ensure that your emails are secure and only accessible by authorized parties.