Back to Course
Լight modeDark mode

What is DMARC Compliance?

WHY DO YOU NEED DMARC?

Domain-based Message Authentication Reporting and Conformance or DMARC is a highly effective email authentication protocol that helps mitigate email-based cyber threats such as phishing and spoofing attacks by verifying whether an email is from a legitimate or malicious source. 

Cybercriminals often pose as senior executives of trusted organizations to send out spoofed emails to employees instigating money transfers. Impersonation attacks like these are aimed at gathering sensitive information from company partners, employees, and customers, leading to legal risks, hampered brand image, and financial and data loss for the impersonated organization.

 

WHAT IS DMARC COMPLIANCE?

An email sent in compliance with the specifications of DMARC protocol is termed to be DMARC compliant. An email is determined to be in compliance with DMARC only if it aligns with SPF and DKIM standards of email authentication, to determine whether an inbound message from an established domain is authorized and authentic, or not. 

By authenticating an email against DKIM and SPF standards, DMARC essentially provides solutions to organizations in DMARC records about handling emails that fail authentication and preventing email spoofing.

 

ACHIEVING DMARC COMPLIANCE

DMARC Compliance is achieved when an email authenticates and aligns against the Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and/or DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) email authentication standards. An email is determined to be DMARC compliant if it is in alignment with either one or both of the standards for authentication.  

While opting for DMARC compliance can prove to be effective for preventing direct domain spoofing, it however fails to address look-alike domains, display name spoofing, newly-registered domains, and ‘reply-to’ mismatches. Opting for amultilayered defense against email data breaches can prove to be effective under such circumstances.

 

WHY IS DMARC COMPLIANCE IMPORTANT?

Security surveys confirm that 90% of data breaches in today’s world are a result of direct domain spoofing and phishing attacks. 

DMARC Compliance proactively improves email deliverability and helps organizations prevent cybercriminals from abusing their email domain to send out fraudulent emails to employees, partners, and customers, thereby acting as a layer of protection for them and upholding their confidence and reputation in the market.

Course content
Advanced Email Authentication Course