Why do security teams allow cousin domains for email marketing instead of subdomains?
Summary
What email marketers say7Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that IT should exercise control on setting up subdomains to maintain security control while allowing marketing brand continuity, assuming good list hygiene and communication between departments.
Email marketer from Mailgun Blog recommends separating marketing and transactional email streams using subdomains. This practice helps isolate reputation damage and allows for better tracking and management of different email types.
Email marketer from EmailonAcid explains that building a strong sender reputation is crucial for email deliverability. Using a consistent subdomain and properly authenticating emails are key steps in establishing trust with mailbox providers.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that IT should exercise control on setting up subdomains to maintain security control while allowing marketing brand continuity, assuming good list hygiene and communication between departments.
Email marketer from SparkPost Blog suggests using a dedicated subdomain for marketing emails to protect the main domain's reputation. This way, if marketing emails encounter deliverability issues, it won't directly impact transactional emails sent from the primary domain.
Email marketer from Reddit suggests that while cousin domains might seem like a quick fix, subdomains offer better long-term brand protection and control. They advise investing in proper subdomain setup and authentication.
Email marketer from StackOverflow highlights the security risks associated with cousin domains. They state that security teams often prefer stricter control over subdomains to ensure consistent security policies and prevent phishing attacks.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise responds that she has seen a lot of abuse of domains that are close, but not quite the same as the brand name. This is often done by phishers and spammers, who are trying to trick people into thinking that they are dealing with the real brand.
Expert from Email Geeks explains security people know that marketing people are not going to listen to them. But they can at least keep the pain out of security’s area of responsibility. She agrees it’s a problem and has been yelling about the cousin domain problem for years
Expert from Email Geeks explains security people know that marketing people are not going to listen to them. But they can at least keep the pain out of security’s area of responsibility. She agrees it’s a problem and has been yelling about the cousin domain problem for years
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from DMARC.org details how Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) policies help protect against email phishing and spoofing. It emphasizes the need to align SPF and DKIM records to ensure proper email authentication.
Documentation from ReturnPath explains how to monitor domain reputation using their tools. It highlights the importance of tracking deliverability metrics and addressing any issues promptly to maintain a positive sender reputation.
Documentation from Microsoft Learn explains how DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) uses cryptographic signatures to verify the sender of an email and ensure the message hasn't been tampered with. Implementing DKIM helps improve email deliverability and trust.
Documentation from IETF details the official RFC specifications for Sender Policy Framework (SPF), providing technical guidelines for implementing and validating SPF records for domain authentication.
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that Sender Policy Framework (SPF) records help prevent spoofing and improve email deliverability. It highlights the importance of correctly configuring SPF records for all sending domains and subdomains.