WQI.web​qualityindex

Security

DANE for SMTP

DNSSEC-anchored TLSA records that pin the certificate your mail server presents. The other (older, stricter) path to authenticated mail-in-transit alongside MTA-STS.

Authority
IETF
Version
RFC 7672
Jurisdiction
Global
Source
datatracker.ietf.org
Last reviewed
2026-04-28
Last verified
pending

What it is

RFC 7672 + RFC 7671. DNS-Based Authentication of Named Entities for SMTP — DNSSEC-signed TLSA records that bind a hostname to a specific certificate or public key. A receiving MTA refuses to deliver if the pin doesn't match.

Why it matters

Closes the same downgrade gap as MTA-STS but with stronger guarantees — provided you have DNSSEC. Major European ISPs (Deutsche Telekom, Comcast inbound) and government MTAs require it; large mail providers (Google, Microsoft) treat it as a stronger signal than MTA-STS alone.

Who it applies to

Domains with DNSSEC that send or receive mail with high-trust counterparties (gov, EU, finance).

How WQI scores it

Web Quality Index considers this standard satisfied when all of the 2 supporting factors pass.

# Factor Status
22 DNSSEC validation planned
24 MTA-STS & TLS-RPT planned

0 of 2 supporting factors are currently collected. Sites where the remaining 2 haven't been measured will show as partial or unknown on this standard until the data lands.

Related standards

Requires
DNSSEC
See also
MTA-STS , DNSSEC

Standards that share factors with this one

Auto-computed from overlapping factor tickets in satisfiedBy, excluding standards already listed under "See also" above. Strong overlap suggests these standards rise and fall together when sites are scored.

Other references