Email communication security standards: an analysis of uptake in the EU : September 2022

Ensuring the interoperability and security of email communications is one of the cornerstones of a resilient and open Internet. In this context, the wide adoption of key Internet security standards, such as StartTLS, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, DANE and DNSSEC, is essential for a safe cyberspace for everyone. This report assesses the level of uptake of the above set of standards in Q3 2022 across EU Member States, comparing it to the global status. The analysis uses data from publicly available data sources and assessment tools, as well as from measurements conducted by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre. Our findings show that the level of adoption of all standards is similar to the previous measurement period (Q1 2022), with StartTLS, SPF and DKIM having high adoption rates, DMARC following with medium adoption, and DANE with DNSSEC showing low, close to zero uptake.