What is a Hosted Server?
A Hosted Server is an IP address that we've identified as being hosted on common cloud platforms like Microsoft Azure or Amazon EC2.
Why are Hosted Servers categorized separately?
Valimail only indicates that an IP address is sending mail using hosted infrastructure if we are uncertain of the originating Email Service Provider, but we do know the delivery provider is classified as a Hosted Service. Since we don't know the true origin of the mail since it's not associated with a known email service provider, we classify the IP address as unidentified. We distinguish Hosted Servers differently because they might be owned by your organization, but more commonly they're used by malicious actors to spoof email. We also break down mail delivered by a hosting provider by the source IP address. This allows you to identify if you actually use that address to send mail. Oftentimes SPF records for hosting providers are much too broad and can open you up to spoofing, even at DMARC enforcement. By showing you the exact IP address that email is originating from, you can make an informed decision to allow or deny it without sacrificing security.
You should only approve a Hosted Server if:
- You utilize the listed hosting provider at your business
- You recognize the IP address that the mail is originating from
- The server is capable of sending SPF aligned mail and/or DKIM aligned mail
If the above criteria are met, then there are actions you can take to authenticate the mail delivered by the service for DMARC
How do I configure a Hosted Server?
The steps are usually pretty straightforward, the only variables are
- If the server is sending mail in an aligned manner
- If the server can't send SPF aligned, can it send DKIM aligned
If the IP address is sending SPF aligned, all you need to do is click "Approve" on the sender detail page
If the server can be configured to use DKIM, you can add a DKIM key by following this guide
Can you help me investigate further?
For sure! We only have access to your DMARC aggregate data and publicly available DNS records, but our team of experts is well-versed in investigating complex scenarios. We're just a click away