SPF Softfail
Learn what it means, how the ~all mechanism works, and how DMARCeye helps identify unauthorized senders in your SPF authentication results.
What Is an SPF Softfail?
An SPF Softfail is a result in Sender Policy Framework (SPF) authentication that indicates an email was sent from a server not explicitly authorized by the domain’s SPF record, but the domain owner has chosen not to block it completely.
In other words, the message is likely unauthorized but not outright rejected. Receiving servers typically mark such messages as suspicious or route them to the spam folder rather than rejecting them entirely.
How SPF Softfails Work
SPF Softfails occurs when the domain’s SPF record ends with the ~all mechanism. This tells receiving mail servers:
“If the message doesn’t match any of my authorized senders, accept it but flag it as suspicious.”
For example:
v=spf1 include:_spf.example.com ~allWhen an email is sent from an unlisted IP address, the server checks the SPF record, sees the ~all directive, and marks the result as Softfail.
This result signals a potential misconfiguration or an unauthorized sender but allows legitimate but misrouted emails to still be delivered.
Why Role Do Softfails Play in Email Security
SPF Softfail is often used during the monitoring or transition phase of SPF setup. It helps administrators observe unauthorized senders before moving to a stricter enforcement mode (using -all, which causes a hard fail).
However, leaving a domain in Softfail mode indefinitely can create risk. Attackers may exploit it to send spoofed messages that appear only “partially unauthorized.”
To strengthen protection, organizations should monitor SPF results, validate all legitimate sending sources, and eventually shift from ~all to -all.
SPF Softfail and DMARCeye
DMARCeye makes it easy to identify and interpret SPF Softfail results across all your sending sources.
By analyzing DMARC aggregate reports, DMARCeye shows which servers triggered Softfail outcomes, helping you distinguish between misconfigured legitimate senders and true spoofing attempts.
This visibility enables you to confidently adjust your SPF policy, move toward full alignment, and enhance both email security and deliverability.
Sign up for a free trial of DMARCeye today and secure your email domain.
To learn more about DMARC and DMARC-related terms, explore the DMARCeye Glossary.