While SPF and DKIM laid the groundwork for email security, their individual capabilities fell short of providing a comprehensive solution for email authentication. This realization led to the birth of Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC).

In 2010, a collaborative effort among fifteen industry leaders, including PayPal, Microsoft, Google, and Yahoo, embarked on developing DMARC to combat fraudulent emails on the internet. Their objective was not only to enhance email authentication but also to enable authenticated feedback from email receivers to improve overall authentication mechanisms. The initial publication of the DMARC specification occurred on January 30th, 2012.

Understanding DMARC’s Significance

DMARC, standing for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance, builds upon SPF and DKIM, forming a critical line of defense against cybercriminals attempting to impersonate your brand and unlawfully acquire customer data.

Key Objectives of DMARC

Protect Your Sending Reputation
DMARC safeguards your brand by preventing unauthorized entities from sending emails on behalf of your domain. In some cases, merely publishing a DMARC record can enhance your sending reputation.

Enhance Email Program Visibility
DMARC reports provide increased visibility into your email program by identifying the legitimate sources sending emails from your domain.

Ensure Future Email Deliverability
By establishing a consistent policy for handling messages that fail authentication, DMARC contributes to a more secure and trustworthy email ecosystem, reducing the likelihood of ending up on spam deny lists.

How DMARC Works in Conjunction with SPF and DKIM

Before utilizing DMARC, the implementation of SPF and DKIM is crucial. Once these are set up in your Domain Name System (DNS), DMARC can be deployed to instruct mailbox providers on how to handle emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks.

SPF identifies the IP address representing your domain, while DKIM embeds an encrypted digital signature in your emails. If an email fails either SPF or DKIM, your DMARC policy determines the subsequent actions.

One-Click Unsubscribing

In every message sent to subscribers, include a mandatory one-click unsubscribe option. Simplifying the opt-out process not only ensures compliance but also respects user preferences.

DMARC Policy Settings

P = none: No action is taken, and unauthenticated emails are still delivered.

P = reject: Unauthenticated emails are blocked and never reach the recipient.

P = quarantine: Unauthenticated emails are placed in the spam folder.

All major mailbox providers conduct DMARC checks, ensuring comprehensive protection across various email platforms.

Do You Need DMARC?

If a company sends emails containing personal information or engages in email marketing, implementing email authentication, including DMARC, is crucial. Email authentication ensures that mailbox providers can verify the legitimacy of emails sent from a specific domain. For organizations sending more than 5000 emails per day, implementing DMARC is particularly urgent. Failure to do so may result in Yahoo and Google blocking their emails starting from February 2024.

Conclusion

DMARC serves as a powerful tool for organizations, simultaneously preventing malware and phishing attacks while enhancing email deliverability. As the foundation of email marketing, a well-implemented DMARC record ensures that only authorized senders can use your domain, instilling confidence that every email from your domain truly originates from your organization.