Internet.nl now also checks strictness anti-mail-spoofing standards

News | January 9, 2018

Today the Dutch Internet Standards Platform launches an improved version of its test tool Internet.nl that was used to execute over 750 thousand tests in 2017. From now on the test tool does not only check if standards against mail spoofing are in place for a given domain, but also checks if these standards are configured sufficiently strict to prevent abuse of the domain.

Since the redesign of Internet.nl in the summer of 2017, the number of visitors increased enormously. Visitors had executed about 100 thousand tests untill July. In the second half of 2017, i.e. after the redesign, about 650 thousand tests were executed. Gerben Klein Baltink, chair of the Dutch Internet Standards Platform:

"The increase is very nice but modern internet is far from ready yet. We are happy to see a growing number of domains with a 100% score entering our Hall of Fame. At the same time there are still too many domains that do not comply with any or all of these modern Internet Standards. Therefore keep testing, learning and requiring modern internet!".

Policy checking for DMARC and SPF

This new version of Internet.nl checks if the syntax of your DMARC and SPF record is correct. Besides the test tool checks if these records contain a sufficiently strict policy in order to prevent abuse of your domain by phishers and spammers.

Checking validity period for HSTS

Internet.nl now also checks for the validity period of the HSTS policy. We consider a HSTS cache validity period of at least six months to be sufficiently secure. A long period is beneficial because it also protects infrequent visitors. However if you want to stop supporting HTTPS, you will have to wait longer until the validity of the HSTS policy in all browsers that vistited your website, has expired.

Impact on test score

The DMARC/SPF policy and the HSTS validity period do not yet impact the overall percentage score. In case of a deviation an orange warning will be displayed in the test results. As of April 2018 the results of the test items will be part of the score.

Release notes:

  • New: DMARC and SPF record parsers to check the record's syntax and policy strictness;
  • New: Check if HSTS 'max-age' value is at least 6 months;
  • Various UI/webdesign fixes/improvements;
  • Bugfixes:
    • DANE test is split into 'existence' and 'validity' tests. Previously, failed requests for the TLSA record resulted in an invalid result;
    • DNSSEC-signed domains signed with algorithms that our validating resolver currently does not support are now reported as DNSSEC-signed but insecure.

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Frequently asked questions

How can I improve the score of a test?

In the test results, you will find an explanation of our findings for all the (sub)tests. Based on this, you could (let someone) make changes to your web or mailserver or connection.

Additional information can be found in our Knowledge base or our Toolbox Wiki.

Why do other test tools show different results?

Internet.nl attempts to always test against the most recent norms and standards. Additionally, we test as thoroughly as we can realise. This is why our results can differ from other (commonly-used) testing tools.

Some of the norms used in Internet.nl are set by the Dutch government. These can be implemented world-wide (and we recommend it!), but be aware that local regulations may differ from the norms used in Internet.nl.

How can I keep up to date of new developments?

News about Internet.nl is always shared on our website and social media. New versions are announced in a news post with the most important changes. You can also follow our work on the source code, new ideas and contributions are very welcome as well!

Users of our API and dashboard are automatically signed up to a mailing list in which we share updates and organise virtual meetings.

How can I (regularly) test multiple domain names?

This is supported by our dashboard and API. You can request an account here if your organisation fits in the target audience. The dashboard is also open source, so you could host this yourself as well.

In the dashboard, it is possible to enter lists of domain names, which then can be automatically tested on a specified interval. You can opt-in to receive an e-mail for every test result.

Can I join the Dutch Internet Standards Platform?

Where our Platform is focused on Dutch organisations, we are facilitating the Global Internet Standards Testing Community (GISTC) to connect international users of the test tool. You can register yourself for the community via international@internet.nl.

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