Should I authenticate my primary domain if it's only used for internal communications?
Summary
What email marketers say12Marketer opinions
Email marketer from EmailonAcid explains that authentication is crucial for protecting your entire organization, including internal communications. It minimizes the risks of unauthorized use and internal phishing.
Email marketer from SuperOffice explains that DMARC is also important for internal email security. Internal phishing attacks can be devastating to your organization. Even if a domain is primarily used for internal communications, it is essential to implement DMARC.
Email marketer from Reddit explains that by authenticating your internal domains, you help ensure that your internal email is not flagged as spam. Even internal communication can impact your overall domain reputation.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares his experience on authenticating Google Workspace can fix issues.
Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog explains that authenticating your domain, even for internal communications, builds trust and improves deliverability, which is crucial for all email traffic, not just external marketing campaigns.
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that applying a DMARC policy on the root domain protects all subdomains and using p=reject or sp=reject on the root domain can help protect the corporate domain.
Email marketer from ZeroBounce explains even if a domain is primarily used for internal communications, failing to secure it with authentication methods can leave it vulnerable to exploitation by spammers. It's better to be safe than sorry.
Email marketer from SocketLabs explains that authenticating your domain for internal communications increases security and prevents internal phishing attacks. Doing so helps with deliverability.
Email marketer from Email Geeks stresses protecting the domain, including internal communication domains, as attackers exploit unprotected domains to send spam.
Email marketer from Tech Support Forum explains that authenticating internal domains prevents malicious actors from spoofing internal email addresses. This reduces the risk of successful phishing attacks within the organization.
Email marketer from Mailjet shares that DMARC helps to prevent internal phishing attacks, spoofing, and other malicious activities. Even if your domain is only used for internal communications, implementing DMARC is still essential.
Email marketer from SendPulse shares the authentication improves security and deliverability, and can significantly reduce the risk of internal phishing attacks and spoofing attempts.
What the experts say6Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks shares the importance of implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC p=none to protect traffic.
Expert from Email Geeks warns that DMARC can cause problems if implemented incorrectly, such as using p=reject without valid SPF/DKIM, potentially blocking legitimate emails.
Expert from Email Geeks notes that implementing authentication can help discover unauthorized or poorly-considered email practices, enabling safer solutions.
Expert from Spam Resource explains that authenticating your domain, even for internal communications, is generally a good idea. While it might not seem immediately necessary, doing so prevents internal phishing attacks and spoofing attempts that can be very disruptive.
Expert from Email Geeks shares that while not mandatory, authenticating the primary domain is worth considering to avoid accidental blocking by internal filters. DMARC p=none will provide reporting to ensure internal communications remain internal.
Expert from Word to the Wise responds with the advice that they always recommend authentication, because spoofing is easy and it can be hard to tell if mail really came from within your org. Even if the recipient can tell, it can be hard for them to explain the nuances to someone else. Internal mail can be just as vulnerable to spoofing as external mail.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that even if a domain is primarily used for internal communications, authenticating it with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC helps prevent internal phishing and spoofing, ensuring secure internal email traffic.
Documentation from Microsoft Learn explains that Exchange Online Protection (EOP) relies on SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to authenticate incoming email. Configuring these records for internal domains enhances security and prevents spoofing attacks.
Documentation from AuthSMTP explains that is not only protects external recipients of your emails but also strengthens your internal security posture by preventing internal spoofing and phishing attacks.
Documentation from RFC Editor specifies how DMARC works, states that DMARC is designed to provide email domain owners a mechanism to protect their domain from unauthorized use, commonly known as email spoofing. While it doesn't specifically mention 'internal emails,' the underlying principles apply universally to all emails claiming to be from a given domain, regardless of whether the communication is internal or external.
Documentation from DMARC.org explains that implementing DMARC, even for domains primarily used for internal communications, helps ensure that only authorized sources can send email using the domain, preventing spoofing and phishing attacks.