{"id":3484,"date":"2025-02-10T04:46:23","date_gmt":"2025-02-10T04:46:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.help.com\/guide\/?p=3484"},"modified":"2026-04-01T01:15:48","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T01:15:48","slug":"what-are-dkim-record-learn-why-they-are-important-for-email-security-and-protection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.help.com.au\/guide\/what-are-dkim-records","title":{"rendered":"What are DKIM Records, and Why Are They Important?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is important, so it is useful to know how this online security tool helps reduce the risk of online threats and enhance email security. Sadly, in our digital world, spammers and hackers target individuals and organisations via email, attempting to trick them into revealing private, confidential, or financial details for illegal purposes.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is DKIM?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

DKIM is an email authentication tool that is available to everyone. It uses backend code to verify the authenticity of an email account, reassuring the recipient of its integrity and strengthening security.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n


How does DKIM work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We can briefly explain how DKIM works by imagining email users having two digital keys: one public<\/em> and one private.<\/em> A public key encrypts a message, and a private key, held only by the recipient, decrypts it. One key opens the main door, and the other scans the virtual security door. In the digital world, this is called public key cryptography.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DKIM ensures these keys \u2018match\u2019 by analysing and confirming specific encrypted data and verifying it as safe. Together, these two keys unlock one larger digital door – the gateway to their email inbox!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This type of encryption helps protect sensitive or confidential information from reaching the wrong email user, especially when it travels from a sender to a recipient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can DKIM improve email deliverability?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To clarify<\/span> any confusion, the definition of a digital signature in the tech world differs from the digital signature we are used to seeing at the end of the main body of an email. According to Google Cloud, \u201ca digital signature is a cryptographic output used to verify the authenticity of data.”\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that we have that covered, have you ever wondered how to add credibility to your emails to prevent them from hitting the junk or spam folder? Say hello to DKIM!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DKIM is excellent for warding off scammers, but you also want to ensure that your legitimate emails don’t end up in your intended recipient’s junk folder. This is where the digital signature plays an important role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following points outline how DKIM improves email deliverability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Authentication and Trust<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n