SPF
Abbreviation with 3 meanings
| Stands for | Sun protection factor |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 3 |
| Categories | Medical, Technology & Computing |
SPF has three meanings. The most common are Sun protection factor (dermatology) and Sender Policy Framework (cybersecurity); it can also stand for Shortest path first.
Meanings of SPF at a glance
| # | SPF stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun protection factor | Medical › Dermatology |
| 2 | Sender Policy Framework | Technology & Computing › Cybersecurity |
| 3 | Shortest path first | Technology & Computing › Networking |
1. Sun protection factor
Medical · Dermatology Abbreviations
Number on sunscreen labels that measures protection against UVB, the rays that cause sunburn. Applied properly, SPF 30 blocks about 97 percent of UVB and SPF 50 about 98 percent; "broad spectrum" labeling indicates UVA protection as well.
Example: Apply broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher 15 minutes before going out and reapply every 2 hours.
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen of SPF 30 or more. Lab testing uses 2 mg of sunscreen per square centimeter of skin, much more than most people apply, so real-world protection is lower; an adult body needs about an ounce. FDA rules since 2011 limit water-resistance claims to 40 or 80 minutes. The term was popularized by Austrian chemist Franz Greiter in the 1970s.
2. Sender Policy Framework
Technology & Computing · Cybersecurity Abbreviations
An email authentication method in which a domain publishes a DNS TXT record listing the servers allowed to send mail on its behalf, so receiving servers can reject spoofed messages.
Example: Add the marketing platform to our SPF record, or its newsletters will land in spam.
Standardized in RFC 7208 (2014). SPF checks the envelope sender rather than the visible From address, so it needs DMARC to stop display-name spoofing. Records are limited to 10 DNS lookups, a ceiling large organizations hit easily. In routing SPF means shortest path first, and on sunscreen sun protection factor.
3. Shortest path first
Technology & Computing · Networking Abbreviations
The family of link-state routing algorithms, based on Edsger Dijkstra's 1959 algorithm, that routers running OSPF and IS-IS use to compute the lowest-cost path to every destination from a full map of the network.
Example: Frequent link flaps were triggering an SPF recalculation on every router in the area.
The term supplies the second half of OSPF's name. SPF throttling timers delay recalculation to protect router CPUs when the topology is unstable. In email security, SPF means Sender Policy Framework, a DNS-based anti-spoofing record; routing context separates the two.
Related abbreviations
More dermatology abbreviations
- SCC – Squamous cell carcinoma
- SD – Seborrheic dermatitis
- SJS – Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- SK – Seborrheic keratosis
- SSSS – Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome
- TCA – Trichloroacetic acid
- TCI – Topical calcineurin inhibitors
- TCS – Topical corticosteroids
See all 52 dermatology abbreviations →
More cybersecurity abbreviations
- SIEM – Security information and event management
- SOAR – Security orchestration, automation and response
- SOC – Security operations center
- SOC 2 – System and Organization Controls 2
- SQLi – SQL injection
- SSL – Secure Sockets Layer
- SSO – Single sign-on
- SSRF – Server-side request forgery
See all 119 cybersecurity abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.