What is SPF record? What do I need to do about it?

Due to the fact that a significant majority of SPAM comes from forged addresses, a new Sender Policy Framework (SPF) standard is being implemented by a number of ISPs and mail hosts, including several major providers (Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL, etc). Those providers have begun to require SPF to allow mail through their networks. Mail systems will need SPF records for their domains if they want their mail to be accepted by those providers.

To comply with the new standard and ensure successful delivery of mail sent by Intermedia clients, SPF records have been created for each of Intermedia clients domain names.

No action is required on your part as long as you host DNS with Intermedia, and do not use any non-Intermedia mail (SMTP) servers to send mail from your domain.

WHAT IS SPF?

SPF is an open standard created to stop forgery of FROM addresses. SPF helps mail servers distinguish forgeries from real mail by making it possible for a domain owner to say, "I only send mail from these machines." That way, if any other machines try to send mail from that domain, the mail server knows that the FROM address is forged.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO IF I DO NOT USE INTERMEDIA.NET MAIL (SMTP) SERVERS?

If you do not use Intermedia Mail Servers, you will need to modify your domain's SPF record to provide the IP address of the mail server or network that you use to send mail.

First, you need to design the appropriate SPF record. We recommend using the SPF Wizard at www.openspf.org. You will need to enter your domain name into the "Let's set up SPF records for" field, then press "Begin". Based on your answers, an appropriate SPF record will be displayed at the bottom of the page. If you want an explanation of the record at any time, you can press "Explain".

An example of SPF record modification:

* If you were sending mail from "my_smtp_server_name" as well as Intermedia Mail Servers (such as DeskPilot or ScriptMail), your SPF record might look like this:
"v=spf1 A:my_smtp_server_name include:spf.intermedia.net ~all"
* If any MX records in your domain point to the non-Intermedia Mail Server(s) that you use to send mail, your SPF record might be:
"v=spf1 MX:your_domain_name include:spf.intermedia.net ~all"

Once you have designed the SPF record, please log into HostPilot for your account, navigate to Domain Names > Domains Manager, and click domain name link to edit records. Paste the record you designed without the "quotes" into the space provided for the default TXT record, and press "Save Changes".

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO IF I DO NOT USE INTERMEDIA.NET DNS SERVERS?

In case you do not use Intermedia DNS (Name) Servers, please contact your DNS Server System Administrator with the request to add SPF record for your domain name(s) to avoid mail delivery problems.

Setup SPF Record From www.openspf.org

Open your web browser IE/Firefox and input http://www.openspf.org
Find SPF wizard and input your domain ex : wowtutorial.org and click Start

Click Begin button
From this page you can specify all your SPF records options.

Click Continue Button
You will see all SPF record details

SPF Record Details 

Modify / Update DNS Zones for Wowtutorial.org 

Next, We will need to modify our DNS zones record for wowtutorial.org.
Example if you are using BIND as DNS server please follow up this tutorial below :
Login as Root
[code]$cd /var/named
$vi wowtutorial.org.zones[/code]

## add 1 lines like picture below into your zone files,
## Remember to added this line in the top of record.
## save this file
## don't forget to restart your dns services

[code]$/etc/init.d/named restart[/code]

If you are running tinydns / djbdns as DNS server, please kindly to follow up this tutorial below
Login as Root
[code]$cd /service/tinydns/root
$vi data[/code]

## added all value in this picture below in the top of your domain record.
## save this file

## don't forget to compile it again with make
[code]$make [/code]

If you are running Windows DNS Server, Please kindly to follow up this tutorial below:

Login as administrator
Click Start >> Administrative Tools >> DNS
Choose your domain, EX : wowtutorial.org
Right click in wowtutorial.org and choose Other New Records,

Choose Text(TXT) resource record type and click Create Record... 

Input your SPF record that you've generated before:
"v=spf1 a mx ptr ip4:216.176.188.214 ~all" 

into Text: box
Important : please remove quote " 

Click OK to continue
You will see your new record like picture below

Next after you've finished added record into your DNS server,
We need to verify it with dnsstuff / dnsreport / nslookup
you will see a SPF record section like picture below from dnsreport

Result from nslookup :

[code]$nslookup 

> set type=TXT
> wowtutorial.org
Server:  ns1.wowrack.com
Address:  216.176.188.146

wowtutorial.org text =

        "v=spf1 a mx ptr ip4:216.176.188.214 ~all"
> [/code]