DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) is an email authentication protocol that helps protect your domain from spoofing and phishing attacks.
It works by using the results of SPF and DKIM authentication checks to determine whether an email sent from your domain is legitimate. DMARC also instructs receiving mail servers how to handle emails that fail these checks.
DMARC is configured as a TXT record in your domain’s DNS settings and allows domain owners to define a policy for handling unauthenticated emails.
When a message fails authentication, the DMARC policy tells the receiving server whether to:
• take no action
• send the email to spam
• reject the email completely
DMARC is one of the most important email authentication standards for protecting your domain and improving email deliverability.
Without DMARC, attackers can send emails that appear to come from your domain. DMARC helps prevent this by enforcing authentication checks and defining how unauthenticated messages should be handled.
Mailbox providers use DMARC as a trust signal when evaluating incoming emails. Domains with properly configured DMARC are more likely to have their emails delivered to the inbox.
DMARC allows domain owners to receive reports about emails sent using their domain. These reports help identify unauthorized senders or misconfigured email services.
DMARC relies on SPF and DKIM authentication results. When properly configured together, these protocols create a strong email authentication system that protects your domain and improves deliverability.