Free Security Tool

MTA-STS Lookup

Check if a domain has MTA-STS (Mail Transfer Agent Strict Transport Security) configured. MTA-STS enforces TLS encryption for email in transit.

Quick lookup:

Understanding MTA-STS

What is MTA-STS?

MTA-STS (Mail Transfer Agent Strict Transport Security) is a standard that enables mail servers to declare their ability to receive TLS-secured connections and specify how sending MTAs should verify certificates.

Why It Matters

MTA-STS protects against man-in-the-middle attacks and downgrade attacks where an attacker could intercept emails by forcing connections to use unencrypted channels.

Components

MTA-STS requires a DNS TXT record at _mta-sts.domain.com and a policy file hosted at https://mta-sts.domain.com/.well-known/mta-sts.txt

Example MTA-STS Records

DNS TXT Record:

_mta-sts.example.com TXT "v=STSv1; id=20231201120000Z"

Policy File:

version: STSv1
mode: enforce
mx: mail.example.com
mx: *.mail.example.com
max_age: 604800

Pro Tip: Start with mode: testing before switching to enforce. This allows you to monitor failures without impacting email delivery. Use our Domain Health Check for comprehensive email security analysis.

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