How do I properly set up DMARC records and reporting for email authentication?
Summary
What email marketers say12Marketer opinions
Email marketer from StackOverflow user shared that a common DMARC setup is v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com. This record tells recipient servers to send DMARC reports to the specified email address, without rejecting or quarantining any email.
Email marketer from EmailGeeks forum user responds that a DMARC vendor will allow you to aggregate, sort and analyse DMARC reports on your domains making changes easy to perform.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares it is important to use a DMARC vendor. Otherwise, all the dmarc reports will go to your personal email or someone on your team, they won't be sent in a nice format and a DMARC Vendor will make it 1000X easier to understand and make decisions.
Email marketer from MXToolbox explains the basics of setting up DMARC records, including the required fields and the importance of monitoring the reports generated by the DMARC policy. They also offer tools for checking the DMARC records and diagnosing issues.
Email marketer from Reddit user explains to use online tools like DMARC record checkers to validate your DMARC record syntax and ensure it is correctly configured. Common mistakes include typos, incorrect tag values, and invalid email addresses for reporting.
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that the decision to have separate records for each subdomain is best decided by your own organization. By default, the DMARC record would inherit down onto subdomains from the root domain. He also recommends adding a rua tag for DMARC reporting and provides a link to dmarc.org.
Email marketer from Valimail explains that setting up DMARC reporting involves specifying the 'rua' and 'ruf' tags in your DMARC record. 'rua' defines where aggregate reports (daily summaries of authentication results) should be sent, while 'ruf' defines where forensic reports (detailed information about individual failed messages) should be sent. These reports help you monitor your email authentication performance and identify any potential issues.
Email marketer from Quora user responds that a common DMARC policy starts with 'p=none' to observe traffic, then moves to 'p=quarantine' to send failing emails to spam, and finally to 'p=reject' to block them altogether. This phased approach minimizes disruptions.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares if planning to meet Google and Yahoo's requirements of minimum p=none, then you should be fine without a DMARC vendor. However, if you are looking to enhance your security, you may wish to look into DMARC specialised partners.
Email marketer from Mailhardener shares to start with SPF and DKIM before implementing DMARC. After setting up SPF and DKIM, use a DMARC monitoring tool or service to analyze the reports and adjust your DMARC policy gradually.
Email marketer from EasyDMARC responds that choosing the right DMARC policy (p=none, p=quarantine, or p=reject) depends on your organization's risk tolerance and email authentication maturity. Starting with 'p=none' allows you to monitor your email traffic without affecting deliverability. Gradually move to 'p=quarantine' and then 'p=reject' as you gain confidence in your authentication setup.
Email marketer from LinkedIn user recommends applying DMARC policies to subdomains, either explicitly or through wildcard policies, to protect them from spoofing attacks. This is especially important for subdomains that are not actively used for sending email.
What the experts say6Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks answers that the DMARC record should be setup for the root domain only.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that DMARC setup involves creating a TXT record in DNS with the name `_dmarc.yourdomain.com`. The content of the record defines your DMARC policy and reporting preferences. Key tags include `v` (DMARC version), `p` (policy), `rua` (aggregate report URI), and `ruf` (forensic report URI).
Expert from Email Geeks responds that using a DMARC vendor is advisable.
Expert from Spam Resource explains that to set up SPF and DMARC records properly, you should create the records as TXT entries in your DNS zone. SPF records specify which mail servers are authorized to send email on behalf of your domain, and DMARC policies dictate how recipient mail servers should handle messages that fail SPF and DKIM checks.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that you are required to have rua= reporting in place to comply with Yahoo and Google requirements.
Expert from Email Geeks shares that you should also add an rua:mailto:<mailto:email@domain.com|email@domain.com> value to your DMARC record.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from Microsoft explains that for Microsoft 365, DMARC helps prevent spoofing and phishing attacks. It explains the importance of also setting up SPF and DKIM alongside DMARC for comprehensive email authentication.
Documentation from RFC7489 describes the technical specification for DMARC, outlining the protocol's mechanisms, record syntax, and reporting procedures in detail. It serves as the authoritative reference for understanding the DMARC standard.
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help shares the steps to create a DMARC record. This includes generating the DMARC TXT record with the appropriate tags (v=DMARC1, p=none/quarantine/reject, rua, ruf, etc.), logging into your domain's DNS management console, adding a new TXT record with '_dmarc' as the hostname, and pasting the DMARC record value. After saving the record, allow up to 48 hours for the changes to propagate.
Documentation from AuthSMTP explains that the DMARC DNS record tells receiving email systems what to do with messages claiming to be from your domain that fail authentication checks. The record contains various tags, each with a specific function. These are set by your organizations security parameters.
Documentation from dmarc.org explains that DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) is an email authentication protocol. It allows domain owners to protect their domain from unauthorized use, commonly known as email spoofing. To properly set up DMARC, you need to publish a DMARC record in your DNS settings, specifying your policy for handling emails that fail authentication checks (SPF and DKIM) and where to send reports.