{"id":56948,"date":"2025-01-04T21:11:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-04T21:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/easydmarc.com\/blog\/?p=56948"},"modified":"2026-02-02T09:38:01","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T09:38:01","slug":"how-to-set-up-tls-rpt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/easydmarc.com\/blog\/how-to-set-up-tls-rpt\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Set up TLS-RPT?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Setting up TLS-RPT might look a little technical from the outside, but once you understand what it does, it actually makes your email security much easier to manage. TLS-RPT is basically a system that tells you when something goes wrong with the encryption of your emails during delivery. Instead of guessing why a message failed, you get clear reports that point out the real issue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This helps you spot problems early, fix them faster, and keep your domain running smoothly. In this guide, we\u2019ll walk through how TLS-RPT works, how you can set up your TLS-RPT record, and why it matters for your overall email security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is TLS?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before we learn about TLS-RPT and how to set it up, let\u2019s first understand what TLS actually means. TLS stands for Transport Layer Security. It\u2019s a protocol that protects your emails while they travel from one mail server to another. In simple words, it locks your messages so no one else can read or change them on the way. When TLS is working properly, your email stays private and secure. But if it\u2019s not set up correctly, your emails might be sent without encryption, making them easier to intercept or misuse. So, having TLS in place is like giving your emails a safe tunnel to travel through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is TLS-RPT?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

TLS-RPT, or TLS reporting, is a standard that helps mail servers share reports when something goes wrong during the TLS encryption process. Basically, it tells you if there are any delivery issues or failures while your emails are being sent securely. The TLS RPT system usually works with other security protocols like MTA-STS, DANE, and STARTTLS, which make sure your emails are always encrypted during delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every email you send passes through a few mail servers before reaching the final inbox. To keep that whole path safe, protocols like MTA-STS make TLS encryption<\/a> mandatory. The TLS-RPT record then helps you keep an eye on how everything is working and alerts you when there is a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, let\u2019s say you\u2019ve set up both MTA-STS and TLS-RPT, and suddenly some emails aren\u2019t getting delivered. You might check the reports and realize one of your mail servers has an expired certificate. Once you fix or update it, the issue goes away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, setting up a TLS RPT record is basically like having a reporting system that helps you find and fix delivery problems fast, while keeping your emails secure and properly encrypted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Does TLS-RPT Work?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve enabled TLS reporting on your domain, you\u2019ll start receiving TLS reports whenever there\u2019s a problem with your domain\u2019s TLS setup and another mail server fails to deliver messages to you. These reports are shared in JSON format and sent to the email address you\u2019ve added in your TLS-RPT record. Here\u2019s how the process usually works:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1: TLS Handshake<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The process begins with a TLS handshake, in which two mail servers (the sender and receiver) try to establish a secure connection. Both servers check if they support TLS encryption. If everything looks good, the connection is secured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2: Error Detection<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If something goes wrong while creating this secure connection, the sending server detects it as an error. Some common TLS errors include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Error type<\/strong><\/td>Description<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Certificate mismatch<\/td>The certificate shown by the receiving server doesn\u2019t match the expected domain.<\/td><\/tr>
Expired certificate<\/td>The certificate is outdated and no longer valid.<\/td><\/tr>
Untrusted root<\/td>The certificate wasn\u2019t issued by a trusted Certificate Authority (CA).<\/td><\/tr>
Weak cipher<\/td>The connection is using a weak or outdated encryption method.<\/td><\/tr>
Protocol downgrade<\/td>Someone tries to force a weaker encryption level during transmission.<\/td><\/tr>
TLS version mismatch<\/td>The sending and receiving servers don\u2019t support the same TLS version.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Step 3: Report Generation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Once the error is identified, the sending server automatically creates a TLS report that explains what went wrong. Each TLS report includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n