SPF is short for Sender Policy Framework. So, setting up SPF for Microsoft Office 365 is essential for securing & authenticating your email communication. SPF helps prevent email attacks by verifying whether the sender’s email address is authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain or not. This comprehensive step-by-step guide will walk you through every point you need to take care of while setting up SPF for Office 365.
Table of Contents
How to Set up SPF for Microsoft Office 365?
Before we begin, let’s quickly go through this SPF brief to revise:
SPF Brief
- SPF allows domain owners to determine who can send emails on behalf of their domain. SPF is an email authentication protocol.
- It works by publishing a unique DNS record (TXT record) containing a list of authorized mail servers for a domain.
- When an email is received, the recipient’s email server checks the SPF record of the sender’s domain to verify if the sending mail server is allowed to send emails on behalf of that domain.
- That’s how it secures your emails.
A Comprehensive Guide to Setting up SPF for Microsoft Office 365
Step 1: Understand How SPF Records Work
- Before setting up SPF for Office 365, it’s essential to understand how SPF records work.
- An SPF is a TXT record added to your domain’s DNS settings.
- Want to learn how to add a TXT record to your domain’s DNS settings? Read this.
- SPF contains information about the authorized mail servers for your domain – typically in the form of IP addresses or domain names.
Step 2: Log in to Your Office 365 Account
- To begin setting up SPF for Office 365, log in to your Office 365 admin center using your administrator credentials.
- Navigate to the Admin Center – and open “Exchange” to access Exchange admin settings.
Step 3: Access Exchange Admin Center
- In the Exchange admin center, select “Protection” from the left-hand menu, and then click on “Spam filter” under the “Threat management” section.
- Select “Spam Filter Policies” from the “Policies” tab.
Step 4: Create a New Spam Filter Policy
- Click the “+” icon to create a new spam filter policy.
- Give your new policy a name that is descriptive and easy to identify, such as SPF Policy.
- Select “Enable SPF Check” from the “Sender Authentication” section.
Step 5: Configure SPF Settings
- Once you’ve enabled SPF check, configure the action to be taken if SPF verification fails.
- You can choose among these three:
- Tag the message as a blocked sender.
- Stamp the message with an override sender.
- Block the message.
- Select the appropriate action based on your organization’s security policies.
Step 6: Save the Policy
- After configuring the SPF settings, click “Save” to save the new spam filter policy.
- The policy will now be applied to incoming emails – and SPF verification will be performed according to the settings you’ve configured.
Step 7: Publish SPF Record in DNS
- In addition to configuring SPF in Office 365, you must publish an SPF record in your domain’s DNS settings.
- Log in to your domain registrar or DNS hosting provider’s website to access your domain’s DNS settings.
Step 8: Add SPF Record
- Create a new TXT record in your DNS settings with the following format:
v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com -all
- This SPF record specifies that Office 365’s mail servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain.
Step 9: Verify SPF Record
- After adding the SPF record to your DNS settings, wait – it may take some time for the updates to settle.
- You can use online SPF record-checking tools to verify that your SPF record has been published correctly and is valid.
Step 10: Monitor SPF Authentication
- Once SPF is set up for Office 365, monitor SPF authentication results regularly.
- Microsoft Office 365 provides built-in reporting and logging features that allow you to track SPF authentication results for incoming emails.
Step 11: Update SPF Record if Necessary
- Update the SPF record in your DNS settings whenever you need to add or remove authorized mail servers for your domain,
- Also, update the SPF record whenever there are changes to your mail server infrastructure or email-sending practices.
Step 12: Educate Users
- Educate your users about the importance of SPF authentication and how it helps protect against email spoofing & phishing attacks.
- Motivate them to be vigilant and report any suspicious emails that they receive.
Conclusion
Setting up SPF for Microsoft Office 365 is a must-do practice if email communications are essential for you. Following this step-by-step guide, you can configure SPF in Office 365 and publish the necessary SPF record in your domain’s DNS settings. With SPF authentication, you can minimize the risk of email attacks and ensure your emails are delivered securely. Regular monitoring of your can help SPF maintain the effectiveness of your email security measures even better. If you need help with your email security – connect with top server providers like Leasepacket.
FAQs
What is SPF? Why do you need SPF for Office 365?
SPF is an email authentication protocol that helps prevent email attacks by verifying the authenticity of the sender’s email address. Office 365 has to ensure that only authorized mail servers can send emails on behalf of your domain – this enhances email security.
How do I enable SPF to check in Microsoft Office 365?
To enable SPF to check in Office 365, navigate to the Exchange admin center, access the spam filter policies, and create a new policy. Then, check SPF under the sender authentication settings and configure the desired action for failed SPF verification.
What action should I take if SPF verification fails?
If SPF verification fails, you can either stamp the message with a blocked sender, with an override sender or block the message entirely. Ensure your actions are aligned with your company’s security policies & email handling practices.
How do I publish an SPF record for my domain?
To publish an SPF record for your domain, access your domain’s DNS settings through your registrar or DNS hosting provider’s website. Create a new TXT record with the SPF syntax, specifying the authorized mail servers for your domain, such as Office 365’s mail servers.
How can I verify if my SPF record is set up correctly?
You can verify the correctness of your SPF record by using online SPF record-checking tools. These tools will validate your SPF record and ensure it’s published correctly in your domain’s DNS settings.
What should I do if I need to update my SPF record?
If you need to update your SPF record to add or remove authorized mail servers – make the necessary changes in your domain’s DNS settings. Ensure the updated SPF record reflects your current mail server infrastructure and email-sending practices to maintain email security.
