What are the new DMARC RUA requirements for 2024?
Summary
What email marketers say13Marketer opinions
Marketer from Email Geeks adds that this is only the first step for authentication enforcement and senders should monitor reports with the p=none policy and rua, before transitioning to actually protecting their mail.
Email marketer from URIports explains that a key aspect of the new DMARC guidelines is the use of the RUA tag to collect aggregate reports. These reports help senders monitor their email authentication results, identify unauthorized use of their domain, and improve their overall email security. Having a RUA setup is essential to be able to action anything found.
Email marketer from Postmark explains that including an RUA tag is an important step in a properly setup DMARC record, allowing you to monitor and track how your domain's email is being handled by receivers. This visibility makes it an important part of any email setup.
Marketer from Email Geeks clarifies that if senders are already at p=reject (policy=reject) they are fine and don't need to worry about the rua tag. Also says that even if not required people should still read DMARC reports.
Email marketer from EasyDMARC explains that while a RUA tag isn't strictly required for DMARC to function, it is essential for monitoring and improving email authentication. The RUA tag specifies an email address to which aggregate DMARC reports are sent, providing valuable insights into email authentication results and potential security issues. While enforcement policies are becoming more common, implementing RUA allows a sender to see whats happening before setting up a stricter policy.
Email marketer from Reddit user emphasized that RUA allows you to see who is sending email on behalf of your domain, and whether those emails are passing authentication checks. Not using RUA would be like setting up a security system but never checking the logs - you wouldn't know if it's actually working or if someone is trying to break in.
Email marketer from Red Sift shares that the new DMARC requirements emphasize the importance of monitoring and reporting. Setting up a RUA tag to receive aggregate DMARC reports is critical for understanding how your emails are being authenticated and identifying any potential authentication issues. This allows senders to take corrective actions and improve their email deliverability and security posture. Monitoring allows brands to be proactive and catch issues that might affect deliverability.
Email marketer from Mailjet shares that the main change involves Yahoo and Gmail requiring senders to have DMARC authentication. Implementing a DMARC policy with a RUA record helps in monitoring email authentication and detecting potential issues or spoofing attempts. They highly recommend implementing RUA records for senders to gain visibility into their email authentication performance.
Email marketer from MXToolbox explains that the RUA tag in DMARC records allows domain owners to receive aggregate reports about the emails sent using their domain, giving senders data about whether emails are authenticating and how they are being handled, so you can respond to any problems that arise.
Marketer from Email Geeks emphasizes that domain owners sending bulk emails need to care about DMARC and that ESPs and tool providers need to improve their services to make it easier.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that large ESPs may need to require users to send from a unique subdomain specific to that ESP to manage auth and DMARC records on behalf of customers.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that DMARC without paying attention to the R (reporting) is not worth much. He acknowledges it's a hassle but emphasizes the importance of starting now rather than later.
Email marketer from Stack Overflow shares that to set up DMARC, including the RUA tag, you need to create a TXT record in your domain's DNS settings. The RUA tag specifies the email address where you want to receive aggregate DMARC reports. These reports provide valuable information about your email authentication status and help you identify any potential issues. RUA isn't necessary but without it you are driving blind.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource explains that DMARC aggregate reports (via RUA) are crucial for understanding where your email is being sent and if it's being properly authenticated. The reports provide insight into potential spoofing or misconfigurations. Aggregate reports, while helpful, are a summary and if there's a need to know why a particular message failed, forensic reports are needed instead.
Expert from Email Geeks notes the prevalence of "v=dmarc1; p=none" policies, suggesting that requiring RUA (reporting URI for aggregate reports) is a positive step.
Expert from Email Geeks questions why someone wouldn't publish an RUA tag, especially with an enforcement policy, to get alerts if DKIM or SPF fails.
Expert from Word to the Wise shares that configuring DMARC with an RUA tag is essential for monitoring your email authentication results and identifying potential issues. The reports you get back are in XML format but this can be automated using 3rd parties that translate the data for you. DMARC with RUA allows you to react to delivery issues and domain abuse in a timely manner.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from Microsoft explains that implementing DMARC, including the RUA tag, is essential for protecting your domain from spoofing and phishing attacks. By configuring the RUA tag, you can receive aggregate reports that provide insights into your email authentication status and help you identify and address any issues. Sending these reports to an external provider will give visibility for senders who are not able to do this in-house.
Documentation from Yahoo Postmaster announced that starting Q1 2024, they would be enforcing stricter email authentication requirements, including DMARC. Yahoo strongly recommends senders implement a DMARC policy with a RUA tag to receive reports and monitor their email authentication status. Not having an RUA tag isn't an instant block, but prevents senders from monitoring authentication issues.
Documentation from RFC Editor specifies the format of the DMARC record, including the rua tag. The rua tag designates the URI(s) to which aggregate feedback reports should be sent. The reports detail the results of DMARC authentication checks performed by receiving mail servers. The RFC highlights that while the rua tag is optional, it is crucial for monitoring DMARC implementation.
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that as of February 2024, Google requires senders to authenticate their email using SPF or DKIM. For DMARC reporting, Google recommends setting up a RUA tag to receive aggregate reports on email authentication results. While not a strict requirement to have RUA configured, it is highly recommended for monitoring and improving email authentication.