The implementation of Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) is growing, yet many organizations fail to fully leverage its anti-spoofing potential. Research shows that less than 20% of domains have their DMARC policy at the correct level of enforcement to protect them from spoofing.
While the initial implementation of DMARC may seem straightforward, reaching DMARC enforcement can be a daunting task even for experts. Fortunately, YourDMARC is here to help you navigate these challenges and ensure the protection of your domain. Below, we highlight 7 common mistakes organizations make when setting up DMARC records and how YourDMARC can guide you to avoid and resolve them.
1. Confusing Monitoring for Protection
One of the most common mistakes is thinking that having a DMARC record with a p=none policy provides protection. The p=none policy is essentially a monitoring mode where receiving gateways send you reports about message authentication, but no action is taken on emails that fail DMARC checks. This mode only helps in understanding the status of your email authentication but does not block or quarantine suspicious emails.
Solution: For DMARC to protect against spoofing, you must implement p=quarantine or p=reject policies. These settings either move unauthenticated emails to the spam folder or reject them outright, ensuring better security for your domain.
2. Believing in the Myth of "Partial Enforcement"
DMARC policies apply to 100% of emails by default. However, some domain owners mistakenly set the pct tag to less than 100%, thinking that partial enforcement will still offer protection. This is not the case—if your policy is set to p=quarantine or p=reject with a percentage lower than 100%, some spoofed emails may still get delivered.
Solution: Always set the pct tag to 100% to ensure that all unauthenticated emails are handled by the DMARC policy. Partial enforcement dilutes the protective capabilities of DMARC.
3. Forgetting About Subdomains
DMARC policies apply to the main domain by default, but they don’t automatically extend to subdomains. This means emails sent from subdomains may still be spoofed. For instance, an email from whatever@mail.example.com could be delivered despite your main domain, example.com, being protected.
Solution: To prevent subdomain spoofing, ensure that your subdomains are covered by DMARC policies. You can set a specific policy for subdomains by using the sp tag in your DMARC record.
4. Out of Order Records
Many domain owners make the mistake of incorrectly ordering their DMARC records. For example, placing the policy (p=reject) after the version tag (v=DMARC1) can cause issues with DMARC validation, or worse, prevent mail gateways from processing your DMARC policy.
Solution: Ensure that the DMARC record syntax is correct, with the version (v=DMARC1) placed first, followed by the policy (p=reject) and any other necessary tags.
5. Omitting a Reporting Address
DMARC provides critical feedback in the form of aggregate reports, allowing domain owners to monitor email authentication failures. However, if you omit a reporting address (via the rua tag), you’ll miss out on this valuable data, making it harder to identify potential spoofing attacks.
Solution: Always include a reporting address in your DMARC record (e.g., rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@example.com). This ensures you receive feedback on authentication failures, helping you stay informed and proactive.
6. Misconfiguring SPF Records
The SPF (Sender Policy Framework) record is an essential part of email authentication. A common mistake is creating an SPF record that exceeds the 10 DNS lookup limit, which could cause email authentication to fail. Another issue arises from “flattening” the SPF record, where IP addresses are explicitly listed, creating difficulties in maintaining the list and potentially leaving gaps in coverage.
Solution: Ensure that your SPF record doesn’t exceed the lookup limit and avoid flattening it. Use the tools provided by YourDMARC to check and manage your SPF records efficiently, ensuring they are always up to date.
7. Mismanaging DKIM Keys
DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) uses public/private key cryptography to authenticate email messages. However, managing DKIM keys can be challenging. Simple issues, such as incorrect copy-pasting of keys, can lead to failures in DKIM authentication. Additionally, neglecting to rotate DKIM keys regularly can leave your domain vulnerable.
Solution: Properly configure and regularly rotate your DKIM keys to ensure they’re always valid. With YourDMARC’s automated tools, you can monitor your DKIM setup and ensure it’s correctly configured to avoid common errors.
How YourDMARC Helps You Avoid These Mistakes
Many of the mistakes highlighted above can hinder your progress toward achieving DMARC enforcement, but with YourDMARC’s comprehensive tools, you can streamline the setup process and resolve issues effectively. Here’s how:
- Automated DMARC Record Checks: YourDMARC automatically scans your DMARC records to ensure they’re correctly configured, helping you avoid common errors such as improper record order or missing reporting addresses.
- SPF and DKIM Monitoring: Our platform allows you to monitor and manage your SPF and DKIM records easily, ensuring that they’re properly aligned with DMARC to achieve full protection.
- Proactive Reports: With real-time feedback on authentication failures, YourDMARC provides valuable insights into potential spoofing attacks, allowing you to address issues before they escalate.
By using YourDMARC, you can get your domain to DMARC enforcement faster, without the hassle of manually configuring complex records.
Ready to secure your domain? Take the first step towards DMARC enforcement with YourDMARC’s automated tools and expert guidance. Contact us today to start protecting your emails from spoofing and phishing attacks.
