DKIM Generator

Generate Your DKIM Records Instantly

DKIM Record Generator
Create a valid DKIM record to add it to your DNS configuration and complete the second step of email authentication.
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DKIM: Protecting Your Emails from Impersonation

DKIM records are a crucial layer of security in the fight against email spoofing. Spoofing is when malicious actors disguise their email address to appear as if they're sending from someone else, often a trusted source like your bank or employer. DKIM utilizes cryptography to verify the legitimacy of an email's sender, ensuring it truly originated from the claimed domain.


Here's the process: When an email server with DKIM enabled sends a message, it adds a digital signature to the email header. This signature is generated using a cryptographic key pair—a private key held by the sender and a matching public key. The public key is published as a TXT record within the domain's DNS (Domain Name System) records, making it easily accessible to receiving email servers.

When an email arrives, the receiving server retrieves the sender's public key from the DNS record. It then uses this public key to verify the digital signature attached to the email. If the signature verification is successful, it confirms that the email originated from a legitimate source authorized by the domain owner. This significantly reduces the risk of email spoofing and phishing attacks, where attackers attempt to impersonate legitimate senders to deceive recipients.


Once you have it set up, it's time to test it with our very own eMail Tester.

DKIM Generator

DKIM TAG Specification Explained

TAG MEANING
v This tag specifies the DKIM version being used. Currently, the most common value is "v=DKIM1".
a This tag identifies the cryptographic algorithm used to generate the digital signature. A common value is "rsa-sha256".
d This tag indicates the domain name used with the selector record (another tag) to locate the sender's public key in the DNS.
s This tag specifies the selector record name used to find the public key. It's essentially a subdomain created by the sender for DKIM purposes.
c This tag can specify additional canonicalization methods used when creating the signature.
h This tag can list the email header fields included in the signature calculation.
t This tag can specify the time the signature was created.

Frequently Asked Questions

DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is an email authentication protocol that allows the sender to sign their emails with a digital signature. This signature is then verified by the recipient's mail server to ensure that the email has not been tampered with during transit.

DKIM is important because it enhances email security by verifying the authenticity of the sender and ensuring the integrity of the message. This helps protect against email spoofing and phishing attacks, improving trust and deliverability of emails.
To generate a DKIM record, follow these steps:
  • Step 1: Generate a public and private key pair using a DKIM tool or your email service provider.
  • Step 2: Create a DKIM TXT record for your domain's DNS settings. The record will include your public key and the selector name.
  • Step 3: Add the DKIM TXT record to your domain's DNS. The format typically looks like this:
    • selector._domainkey.yourdomain.com
    • v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=
  • Step 4: Configure your email server to use the private key for signing outgoing emails.
  • Step 5: Test the DKIM record to ensure it is set up correctly using online DKIM validation tools.
A DKIM record consists of several key components:
  • Version (v): Specifies the DKIM version, which is always DKIM1.
  • Key Type (k): Specifies the algorithm used, typically rsa.
  • Public Key (p): Contains the public key used for verifying the digital signature.
  • Selector (s): A unique name that helps identify the DKIM key.
  • Additional Tags: Optional tags such as t (test mode), h (signed headers), and g (granularity) that further define the DKIM policy.
Interpreting DKIM failures involves understanding the different results that DKIM validation can produce:
  • Pass: The email's DKIM signature was verified successfully.
  • Fail: The DKIM signature was invalid, indicating the email may have been tampered with.
  • Neutral: The DKIM signature was present but could not be verified, often due to DNS issues or configuration problems.
  • None: No DKIM signature was found in the email.
Understanding these results helps in identifying issues with email authentication and improving the DKIM policy.
Implementing DKIM offers several benefits, including:
  • Enhanced Email Security: Ensures that emails have not been altered during transit.
  • Improved Email Deliverability: Increases the likelihood that legitimate emails will reach recipients' inboxes.
  • Brand Protection: Safeguards your brand reputation by preventing malicious actors from sending fraudulent emails using your domain.
Implementing DKIM can present several challenges, including:
  • Complexity: Setting up DKIM requires a good understanding of cryptography and DNS.
  • DNS Record Management: Managing DKIM DNS records can be complex, especially for large organizations with multiple domains.
  • Key Management: Regularly rotating and managing DKIM keys to maintain security without causing disruptions.
  • Compatibility: Ensuring that all email services and forwarding mechanisms support DKIM.
Overcoming these challenges often requires a combination of technical expertise, proper planning, and ongoing monitoring and adjustment of DKIM policies.
Monitoring DKIM effectiveness involves several steps:
  • Regularly Review Email Logs: Check email server logs to see if emails are passing DKIM checks.
  • Track DKIM Failures: Monitor and analyze emails that fail DKIM checks to identify potential issues.
  • Adjust DKIM Records: Based on the insights from monitoring, update and refine your DKIM records to improve effectiveness.
  • Use DKIM Validation Tools: Utilize online tools to validate and test your DKIM records.
Effective monitoring helps to maintain the security and deliverability benefits of DKIM over time.
To implement DKIM for a new domain, follow these steps:
  • Step 1: Generate a DKIM key pair (public and private keys).
  • Step 2: Create your DKIM DNS record with the public key and selector.
  • Step 3: Publish the DKIM record in your DNS by adding a TXT record for selector._domainkey.yourdomain.com with your DKIM policy.
  • Step 4: Configure your email server to sign outgoing emails with the DKIM private key.
  • Step 5: Test the DKIM record to ensure it is working correctly using DKIM validation tools.
  • Step 6: Monitor the DKIM results to ensure emails are being authenticated correctly and update the DKIM record as needed.
Implementing DKIM effectively involves continuous monitoring and adjustment to ensure optimal email security and deliverability.
Several tools can assist with DKIM implementation and monitoring:
  • DKIM Generators: Tools like DKIM Core and EasyDKIM can help create and validate DKIM records.
  • DNS Management Tools: Platforms like Cloudflare, Amazon Route 53, and Google Cloud DNS simplify the process of managing DNS records for DKIM.
  • Email Authentication Services: Services like SendGrid, Mailgun, and Postmark offer built-in support for DKIM, SPF, and DMARC.
  • Monitoring Tools: Tools like Splunk and SolarWinds can help monitor DKIM results and track email authentication metrics.
Using these tools can streamline the implementation and management of DKIM, ensuring effective email security and deliverability.
DKIM can significantly improve email deliverability by ensuring that legitimate emails are authenticated and reducing the risk of spoofing. Key benefits include:
  • Increased Trust: Recipients are more likely to trust emails from domains with DKIM protection, leading to higher open rates and engagement.
  • Reduced Spam: DKIM helps to prevent spam and phishing emails from being sent using your domain, improving your sender reputation.
  • Better Inbox Placement: Authenticated emails are more likely to be delivered to recipients' inboxes rather than being filtered as spam.
While DKIM improves overall email deliverability, it requires proper implementation and monitoring to achieve the best results.
Best practices for DKIM implementation include:
  • Keep It Simple: Use a clear and concise DKIM policy to ensure proper implementation.
  • Monitor DKIM Results: Regularly review email logs and use DKIM validation tools to monitor DKIM results.
  • Rotate Keys Regularly: Periodically rotate DKIM keys to maintain security without causing disruptions.
  • Include All Senders: Ensure all legitimate senders are included in the DKIM policy to avoid false negatives.
  • Use Multiple Selectors: Use different selectors for different services to manage keys more effectively.
Following these best practices can help ensure a successful DKIM implementation and improve email security and deliverability.

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