Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) is a security measure that helps protect your company's email domain from being misused by scammers. By setting up DMARC, you can tell email providers how to handle messages that don’t come from your company. This is vital in preventing phishing attacks and email fraud.
What is DMARC?
DMARC is a security protocol that ensures emails from your domain are legitimate. It helps prevent fraudulent emails, protecting your business and customers from phishing.
DMARC works with SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) to verify email authenticity. If an email fails these checks, DMARC determines if it should be allowed, sent to spam, or rejected.
Any business can benefit from using DMARC to protect its emails from being faked or used in scams, not just those sending lots of emails. Even though companies that send more than 5,000 emails a day are often mandated to implement DMARC, it’s helpful for any business with an online presence.
DMARC covers all kinds of emails, like automatic replies and order confirmations, making email communication more secure and protecting the company’s reputation.
How does DMARC work?
DMARC works by confirming that the emails are from an authorised source. Here’s a simple breakdown:
- SPF check: Ensures that the email is sent from a trusted server.
- DKIM check: Verifies that the email content has not been altered and that the message was sent by the authorised owner of the domain.
- DMARC policy: Based on the above checks, DMARC decides what to do with the email – whether to let it through, quarantine it, or reject it.
DMARC policies:
- None: Monitor email activity only.
- Quarantine: Send suspicious emails to spam or junk.
- Reject: Block fraudulent emails entirely.
Risks of not implementing DMARC
Without the robust protection DMARC provides, your email system remains an attractive target for attackers. Email spoofing and impersonation tactics are commonly used in cyberattacks, and without DMARC, your organisation is less equipped to fend them off.
1. Phishing and fraudulent emails
Without DMARC, your domain can easily be imitated by fraudsters. These scammers send fake emails that trick your customers into sharing sensitive information, leading to financial loss and harming your reputation.
2. Brand damage
Fraudulent emails pretending to be from your company erode customer trust. If customers receive fake messages that seem to come from you, they may become suspicious of your legitimate communications, damaging your brand’s reputation.
3. Poor email deliverability
Without DMARC, your legitimate emails might end up in spam folders. This affects your email marketing, internal communication, and customer service interactions, as important messages may be ignored or marked as spam.
4. Compliance failures
As regulations increasingly require email authentication (like GDPR and PCI DSS), not implementing DMARC can lead to compliance issues. This might result in fines, legal troubles, and harm to your business’s reputation.
5. Increased vulnerability to cyberattacks
Without DMARC, your email system is more attractive to attackers. Email spoofing and impersonation are common tactics in cyberattacks, and without DMARC, your organisation is more vulnerable to these threats.
Benefits of implementing DMARC
The benefits of implementing DMARC far outweigh the risks of not using it. Here are some key advantages:
1. Protects your brand’s reputation
DMARC stops fraudsters from sending fake emails using your company’s name, ensuring that only authorised messages are sent from your domain. This helps maintain your brand’s integrity and keeps customer trust intact.
2. Improves email deliverability
With DMARC, your genuine emails are more likely to reach inboxes instead of getting lost in spam folders. By verifying email authenticity, DMARC ensures your important communications get to the right people.
3. Reduces phishing and fraud
DMARC greatly reduces the chances of email-based fraud by blocking unauthorised senders from using your domain. This protects your customers and employees from phishing attacks and fraudulent messages.
4. Provides visibility and insight
DMARC offers detailed reports that let you monitor your email traffic and spot any suspicious activity. These reports give you valuable information about your email security, helping you take action against potential threats.
Upcoming regulations and compliance deadlines
In response to growing cybersecurity threats, major email providers like Google and Yahoo now require stricter email authentication standards. Starting in February 2024, emails without proper verification, such as DMARC, SPF, and DKIM, may be blocked or rejected by these providers.
New regulations effective March 2025 will mandate businesses handling card payments to enhance email security with DMARC to combat phishing. Compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is also required for those handling credit card data.
Here’s how to prepare for these upcoming changes:
- Review your current email security practices and identify gaps.
- Set up DMARC policies to start monitoring email traffic and improve email security.
- Regularly review DMARC reports to stay on top of potential threats.
- Educate your team on the importance of email security and DMARC implementation.
- Work closely with email service providers to ensure seamless DMARC integration.
DMARC and PCI DSS Compliance
To comply with PCI DSS v4.0 – a set of security standards for businesses that handle credit card information – you must secure all communication channels, including email. DMARC plays a crucial role in preventing email spoofing and phishing, which are common tactics used to breach sensitive data.
Protect your business
DMARC is essential for securing your business and maintaining customer trust. With the March 2025 deadline approaching, now it’s time to act. Implementing DMARC protects your brand, boosts email delivery, and lowers the risk of email fraud.
Our Managed DMARC service fully supports email security and DMARC compliance. Using Sendmarc’s technology, it meets modern business needs by using DMARC standards along with SPF and DKIM. This authenticates and enforces email policies, prevents impersonation attacks, and helps meet PCI DSS v4.0 standards for online payments.
