Protecting Domain Name Reputation
Date: 20250130
Scope:
This document will cover the configuration of DNS primary zone files to help protect the reputation, specifically mail reputation, of registered domain names to ensure that they will function correctly if they do commence being used for email as well ensuring brand reputation isn’t impacted by others using your domain to attach to spam.
Instructions:
Once a domain is registered or for existing domains, either navigate to the management web portal for your domain registrar or edit the domain zone file and apply the following1:
| Host | Record Type | Answer/Value | TTL |
|---|---|---|---|
| example.com. | TXT | v=spf1 -all | 10800 |
| _dmarc.example.com. | MX | v=DMARC1;p=reject; | 10800 |
| example.com. | MX | . | 10800 |
The two TXT records are required if the domain has no intention of sending email. The MX record tells systems that the domain will not be accepting email from remote servers.
If the domain is not intending to participate in email in any form, all three records should be inserted into the domain primary zone file.
End of Document
A reminder on Mastodon in protecting a domain name when it isn’t being used to send email.