Changelog

Server infrastructure upgrade

We've upgraded the server infrastructure behind MXValidation. The website now uses hosting services from CooliceHost.

More helpful guidance for every standalone email tool

Standalone tool pages now include step-by-step instructions, practical examples, explanations of checks and limitations, and guidance on what results mean and what to do next. Tool-specific FAQs and links to related tools and blog guides make it easier to troubleshoot your setup.

Test address links no longer trigger warnings

A mailto: link to the receiving address of your current email test is now recognized as part of the test and excluded from link warnings.

• These links do not reduce your score or appear in “What to fix first”.
• The correction also applies to existing reports, account history and the print version.
• Checks for other invalid, unresolved or mismatched links remain in place.

A cleaner report when there is nothing to fix

Reports with a score of 10/10 and no actionable findings no longer show an empty “What to fix first” section. The online report and print version keep the focus on the completed checks.

A successful DMARC check clearly shows Passed

Successful DMARC authentication now shows a green Passed status, including when the domain uses p=none. The monitoring policy does not reduce the score.

• Monitoring mode and a missing rua remain informational notes, without a next-step warning or a place in “What to fix first”.
• Alignment explanations are shorter, with additional context under Technical details.
• Confirmed authentication failures and invalid DMARC records continue to be reported.

Consistent UTC dates across email reports

Email reports, recorded authentication details, test history and expiration times now use consistent UTC formatting. The same timestamp appears in the same time zone in your browser and the print report, with a clear UTC label wherever a time is shown.

SPF lookup chains and DMARC alignment details

Expandable sections explain how SPF was evaluated and which authenticated identity satisfies DMARC, in both the online report and print version.

• SPF details show the sending IP, envelope sender, available HELO/EHLO identity, DNS lookup chain and evaluation limits.
• DMARC details compare the visible From domain with the SPF identity and individual DKIM signatures, including strict or relaxed alignment.
• Each DKIM signature has its own verification result, signing domain and selector. The alignment table identifies which verified signatures satisfy DMARC.
• Evidence source and evaluation time distinguish recorded results from later DNS analysis. Older reports do not invent missing lookup or alignment details.

EHLO/HELO and reverse DNS checks

The report now checks the identity of the server that delivered your message to MXValidation. With an external relay, these findings describe your provider’s infrastructure.

• Separate results show PTR availability, forward-confirmed reverse DNS, EHLO resolution and EHLO/PTR name matching.
• Checks support IPv4, IPv6, multiple PTR names and valid IP literals. Temporary DNS errors and missing SMTP evidence are clearly identified.
• A different EHLO and PTR does not deduct points by itself. Reverse DNS is scored once, with the same findings available in the print report.

Reliable SMTP session data for every new test

The receiving server records the actual delivering IP, the last accepted EHLO/HELO name and the source of those details, linked to the specific message by a delivery identifier.

Session metadata is authenticated and protected against sender-supplied metadata headers. Older reports without this evidence show Insufficient data instead of inferred values.

Empty test messages no longer lose points

The SpamAssassin rules EMPTY_MESSAGE and MISSING_SUBJECT remain visible in the detailed results but are excluded from MXValidation scoring. An empty body or missing subject alone no longer produces a SpamAssassin warning or an item in “What to fix first”. The original SpamAssassin findings are preserved.

See which SpamAssassin rules affect your score

Triggered rules are sorted by score contribution and use distinct colors for higher positive scores, smaller positive contributions, negative scores and neutral or excluded rules.

• Rules contributing to a Warning or Failed result are explicitly marked.
• Recommendations identify the largest positive contributions to review first.
• The original SpamAssassin score and any adjusted MXValidation score are explained separately, so excluded rules remain transparent.