If you’ve ever managed email for a business or organization, you may have come across the term “DMARC.” But what exactly is DMARC, and why is it important?
DMARC, which stands for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance, is an email authentication protocol. It’s designed to help protect email domains from being used in phishing attacks, email spoofing, and other types of email fraud. In essence, DMARC allows domain owners to tell receiving email servers how to handle messages that claim to be from their domain but fail authentication checks.
Let’s break down what DMARC does and why it matters.
How Does DMARC Work?
DMARC works in conjunction with two other email authentication protocols: SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (Domain Keys Identified Mail).
- SPF checks if the email is sent from an authorized server by verifying the sender’s IP address against a list of authorized IPs for the domain.
- DKIM adds a digital signature to the email, which ensures that the message content hasn’t been altered during transit and verifies the sender’s domain.
DMARC builds on these protocols by adding a policy layer that instructs email servers on what to do when an email fails SPF or DKIM checks. When an email is received, the receiving server checks the SPF and DKIM results against the DMARC policy set by the domain owner. Based on this policy, the server can do one of three things:
- None: Take no action and deliver the message as usual, but send a report to the domain owner.
- Quarantine: Mark the email as suspicious (often sending it to the spam/junk folder).
- Reject: Block the email entirely, preventing it from reaching the recipient.
Why Is DMARC Important?
DMARC is crucial for several reasons:
Protects Your Brand:
By preventing unauthorized parties from sending emails on behalf of your domain, DMARC helps protect your brand’s reputation. When customers receive emails from your domain, they can trust that those emails are legitimate.
Reduces Phishing Attacks:
Phishing emails often spoof legitimate domains to trick recipients into revealing sensitive information. With DMARC, you can significantly reduce the chances of your domain being used in such attacks.
Improves Email Deliverability:
Implementing DMARC can improve the chances of your legitimate emails reaching their intended recipients. Many email providers give preference to authenticated emails, reducing the likelihood that your messages will end up in spam folders.
Provides Insight:
DMARC generates reports that give you visibility into how your email domain is being used (or misused). These reports can help you identify potential issues, such as unauthorized use of your domain or misconfigurations in your SPF or DKIM settings.
DMARC is a powerful tool for safeguarding your email domain against abuse. By setting up a DMARC policy, you can protect your brand, reduce phishing attacks, improve your email deliverability, and gain valuable insights into your domain’s email usage. If you manage an email domain, implementing DMARC is a smart move that helps secure your communications and build trust with your recipients.
DMARC Director by Tangent Is a Superior Choice
When it comes to managing DMARC policies and protecting your domain, DMARC Director by Tangent stands out as a superior solution. Unlike other DMARC tools, DMARC Director offers an intuitive interface that simplifies the complex process of implementing and monitoring DMARC. With advanced reporting and analytics, DMARC Director provides deep insights into your domain’s email activity, helping you quickly identify and address potential threats. Tangent’s industry expertise in developing secure, reliable IT solutions ensures that DMARC Director is not only user-friendly but also robust and scalable, making it an ideal choice for organizations of all sizes. Plus, with Tangent’s dedicated support team, you’re never on your own—expert help is always just a call away, ensuring that your DMARC implementation is smooth, effective, and aligned with best practices.
Call Us: 1 800 342 9388
Live Chat : Here (6:30am-3:30pm PST)
Email:sales@tangent.com