SPF
SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is an email authentication protocol designed to detect and prevent email spoofing by verifying that incoming mail from a domain comes from an IP address authorized by that domain's administrators. It works by publishing DNS TXT records that specify which mail servers are permitted to send email on behalf of a domain, allowing receiving mail servers to check these records and reject unauthorized messages. This helps protect against phishing, spam, and other email-based attacks by ensuring the legitimacy of the sender.
Developers should learn and implement SPF when building or maintaining email systems, especially for applications that send transactional emails (like password resets or notifications) or operate email marketing platforms, as it's crucial for email deliverability and security. It's particularly important in DevOps and infrastructure roles to configure DNS records correctly to prevent domain spoofing and improve email reputation, reducing the risk of emails being marked as spam or blocked by recipients' servers.