• SPF Null Value Explained: When It’s a Problem and When It’s the Fix

SPF Null Value Explained: When It’s a Problem and When It’s the Fix

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Discover what the SPF null value means, when it causes issues, and how it can be used to protect non-sending domains from spoofing and phishing.

by Milena Baghdasaryan

Last Updated:
Reading Time: 6 min
SPF Null Value Explained: When It’s a Problem and When It’s the Fix
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The SPF null value is an error that usually indicates a mistake or misconfiguration. It occurs when the SPF record is invalid or doesn’t conform to the required syntax. This can result in email deliverability problems.

SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is a key email authentication protocol that helps prevent spoofing and phishing. But sometimes, an SPF record results in what’s known as a “null value.”

However, the SPF null value isn’t always a problem; it may, in fact, be the solution to a problem. Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it? Let’s find out more.

Key Takeaways

  • SPF is an important email authentication protocol that helps prevent email spoofing, phishing attacks, and spam.
  • Many make mistakes when configuring this protocol, as a result of which they experience delivery problems.
  • Common SPF mistakes include exceeding the lookup limit, making syntax errors, using more than one SPF record, and not paying attention to non-email-sending domains.
  • The SPF null value problem is often related to DNS lookup failure or improper syntax.
  • Sometimes, the SPF null value is set intentionally to signal that a domain shouldn’t be used to send emails.

What Is an SPF Null Value and Why Does It Occur?

An SPF null value typically means that the SPF record is either missing, empty, or incorrectly formatted. This can happen due to:

  • Extra spaces or special characters
  • Missing mechanisms (like v=spf1)
  • Incorrect DNS record types
  • A completely empty record

When this happens, receiving mail servers can’t verify the sender, leading to SPF failures and poor email deliverability.

To avoid the SPF null value error, make sure your SPF record does not contain any invalid characters or unnecessary spaces. Ensure it aligns with the approved SPF syntax.

PowerDMARC’s DNS lookup tool can help you stay on top of errors in your record syntax and fix them before they turn into a problem. 

How SPF Null Values Can Hurt Your Email Delivery

Here are some ways the SPF null value may impact deliverability:

Authentication Problems: When there is an SPF null value error, the recipient server will not be able to verify the sender’s authorization. This may lead to an authentication failure. 

DMARC Issues: SPF and DMARC work together, so if SPF fails, DMARC may also fail. This will lead to deliverability problems if strict DMARC policies like “quarantine” or “reject” are in place. 

More Spam Filtering: When there is no proper authentication, emails are more likely to be flagged as spam or get rejected outright. 

Reputational Damage: As errors in SPF authentication become frequent, they will negatively affect the sender’s reputation. This will make it much harder for legitimate emails to reach the intended inbox. 

Higher Bounce Rates: Emails that are rejected or sent to spam will result in bounce messages. This will boost the bounce rate and have a negative effect on business communication. 

SPF Null Value (When it is Not a Problem)

In some cases, SPF null values are deliberately used as a security strategy for domains that do not send email. By publishing a null SPF record like v=spf1 -all, you explicitly state that no email should ever originate from this domain.

Most organizations focus on securing only their active email-sending domains with SPF. They overlook the importance of setting up SPF records for domains that don’t send emails. This leaves non-mail sending domains vulnerable to spoofing by cybercriminals, who exploit these gaps to bypass security measures.

The SPF null value may be the solution to this problem. When you publish a null SPF record (such as “v=spf1 -all”), it explicitly states that the domain should never be used to send email. 

This helps:

  • Prevent spoofing on unused domains
    Block phishing attempts using your brand
    Comply with security best practices

Other Common SPF Mistakes 

Other widespread SPF implementation mistakes include exceeding the SPF 10 lookup limit, having multiple SPF records, and making syntax errors. 

Lookup Limitations

When an email is checked for SPF authentication, the receiving mail server may need to perform several DNS lookups. To prevent denial of service attacks, there is a strict limit: no more than 10 DNS lookups are allowed during SPF evaluation.

Lookup-Limitations

If this 10-lookup threshold is exceeded, SPF validation will fail. This failure opens the door for attackers to spoof or abuse your domain. What’s worse, your legitimate emails may not be delivered as expected, and you might not receive any notification about these delivery issues.

The Solution to the Lookup Limit

Going beyond the SPF lookup limit is a critical error that can harm your domain’s reputation and reduce email deliverability. To address this, SPF flattening is recommended. SPF flattening involves replacing all domain references in your SPF record with their corresponding IP addresses. This removes the need for DNS lookups and ensures reliable SPF validation.

PowerDMARC offers a hassle-free, one-click automatic SPF flattening tool for your SPF Record. This tool promptly flattens SPF records for multiple domains and accounts, helping you stay informed on any updates to authorized IPs. 

PowerDMARC’s automated SPF flattening solution helps:

  • Effortlessly add or remove IPs 
  • Comply with the 10 DNS lookup limit with ease
  • Avoid ‘Permerror’ problems
  • Automatically update netblocks so that authorized IPs are always up-to-date
  • Optimize your SPF record
  • Enjoy an error-free SPF record

Why You Should Never Have More Than One SPF Record

“How many SPF records can and should I have for a single domain?” we often get asked. “Only one” is our definite answer. 

When your domain has more than one SPF record, it’s impossible to tell which one the receiving mail servers will use to check for SPF authentication. Additionally, having too many SPF records can cause serious deliverability problems, preventing your emails from reaching the intended recipient. 

The Solution to “Too Many SPF Records”

Ensure a DNS TXT query returns only one record starting with v=spf1. If you ever need to add new services, simply update the existing record instead of creating additional ones.

Syntax Errors

For your SPF record to function properly and effectively, ensure it does not have any syntax errors. Common syntax mistakes include:

  • Extra spaces before the beginning of the string (v=spf1)
  • Extra spaces after the end of the string (~all)
  • Commas in between mechanisms
  • Misspellings in the record mechanisms or referenced domains
  • Unnecessary special characters (e.g., dashes) before the hard fail mechanism
  • Uppercase characters in the ip6 or ip4 mechanisms
  • String starting mechanisms other than v=spf1 

The Solution to the Syntax Errors

You can use PowerDMARC’s free SPF checker tool to validate your SPF record and ensure it’s free of syntax errors, misspellings, and character mistakes. 

FAQs

What is SPF?

Sender Policy Framework (SPF) is an email authentication protocol used to authenticate the sender of an email.

What benefits does SPF have?

SPF can help prevent email spoofing and phishing by verifying that emails originate from authorized servers. 

What are some common SPF implementation mistakes?

Common SPF implementation mistakes include syntax errors, having too many SPF records, exceeding the DNS lookup limit, etc.

What causes the SPF null value problem?

The SPF null value problem is often caused by syntax mistakes in the SPF record, incorrect or missing records, or exceeding DNS lookup limits.

Is the SPF null value of any help?

The SPF null value helps instruct the mail servers to reject any email claiming to come from a non-email-sending domain, helping prevent hackers from exploiting these domains for their intentions.

Final Thoughts: When Null Is Good, and When It’s Not  

The SPF null value may be a problem related to a DNS lookup failure or improper syntax. However, it may also be a solution to the problem of non-email-sending domains. This may give rise to confusion and ambiguity among non-technical users.

Understanding the SPF protocol, its configuration, and nuances is often challenging, especially for non-tech-savvy individuals. In this guide, we tried to explain one concept and present its different functions. However, there are thousands of challenging concepts in cybersecurity for which you might require guidance. At PowerDMARC, our team of experts ensures your questions get answered and your problems find a solution on time. 

Need help fixing SPF issues or improving email security? Contact the PowerDMARC team – we’ll guide you through every step.

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