Setup Government Email Services Securely

Status: Live
Published: 01/01/2020
Security level: Official
Amended / Internally developed: False
Live on platform: 23/03/2021
Target Audience: Technical / General
Authoring body: Government Digital Services (GDS)
Grading: no grading applied
Guidance
Abstract

All public services sending emails out on behalf of government organisations must follow all protocols, processes and guidelines to ensure that they secure their email service. This includes:

  • the service providing users with mailbox access

  • internal relays and gateways

  • email filtering services

  • third party services that send email on your behalf, like transactional email services

Key configurations are needed to ensure you email services run smoothly:

  • Transport Layer Security (TLS)

  • DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM)

  • Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC)

  • Public Domain Name System (DNS)

  • Ability to make administrative changes

 

If there are any changes made to your email security, ensure that you communicate such changes to all staff in your organisation.

Category: Office Productivity and Collaboration Systems Security