What is DMARC?

What is DMARC and Why Does It Matter?

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) is an email security standard that acts like a digital bouncer for your domain. It works with two other foundational protocols, SPF and DKIM, to verify that every email sent using your domain is legitimate.

• SPF (Sender Policy Framework): This is a public list of all the servers and services (like Google Workspace, Mailchimp, etc.) that are authorized to send email on your behalf.

• DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): This adds a unique, tamper-proof digital signature to your emails, proving the message hasn't been altered in transit.

DMARC takes it a step further. It tells receiving email servers what to do if an email claims to be from you but fails the SPF or DKIM checks. This prevents unauthorized senders from using your domain.

How TAPP Network Implements DMARC: A Phased Approach

Implementing DMARC correctly is crucial to avoid blocking legitimate emails. We follow a careful, phased approach to roll it out for our clients, ensuring a smooth transition and maximum protection.

Phase 1: Monitoring and Assessment (p=none)

First, we set your DMARC policy to "monitor." This allows us to:

• Gather Intelligence: We receive detailed reports on all email activity for your domain, both legitimate and fraudulent.

• Identify All Senders: We get a complete picture of every service sending email on your behalf, including third-party marketing tools or support platforms you may have forgotten about.

• Ensure Compliance: We work to make sure all your legitimate sending services are properly configured with SPF and DKIM, so they pass authentication checks.

Phase 2: Quarantining Suspicious Emails (p=quarantine)

Once we are confident that all your legitimate mail is being authenticated correctly, we escalate the policy. At this stage, any email that fails the DMARC check is automatically sent to the recipient's spam or junk folder instead of their inbox. This significantly reduces the visibility of fraudulent emails.

Phase 3: Rejecting All Unverified Mail (p=reject)

This is the ultimate goal. In the final phase, we instruct email servers worldwide to completely block and reject any email that claims to be from you but fails authentication. This effectively stops spoofing and phishing attacks in their tracks, ensuring that only legitimate emails ever reach your audience.

The Benefits of a DMARC-Protected Domain

Implementing DMARC with TAPP Network provides tangible business advantages:

• Enhanced Security: Actively blocks phishing, spoofing, and other email-based attacks, protecting your team and your customers.

• Increased Deliverability: When your domain has a trusted reputation, your legitimate marketing and transactional emails are far more likely to land in the inbox, not the spam folder.

• Brand Protection: Prevents cybercriminals from using your trusted domain name to commit fraud, preserving the reputation you've worked hard to build.

• Actionable Visibility: The reports generated by DMARC provide clear insights into who is sending email on your behalf, helping to identify security gaps and shadow IT services.

• Regulatory Compliance: Meets rising industry and regulatory standards for email security and data protection.

Your Partner in DMARC Implementation

While the concepts behind DMARC can seem complex, our team has the expertise to manage the entire process for you. We handle the technical setup, analyze the reports, and guide your domain through the implementation phases.

In today's digital landscape, robust email security is not just a best practice—it's a necessity. Let TAPP Network help you take control of your email domain and protect your organization from the growing threat of email fraud.