DMARC - Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance Print

DMARC - Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance

What is a DMARC Record?

A DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) record defines how email recipients should handle emails from your domain to ensure email security. It is stored as a DNS record for your domain.

DMARC works alongside SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) records to verify if an email that appears to be from your domain is genuine. The DMARC policy specifies what actions to take for emails that fail SPF and DKIM checks.

Where Can I Add the DMARC Record?

To add a DMARC record:

1. Log into the 369Hosting client area and go to Domains > My Domains. You'll see a list of your domains.
2. Find the domain from which your emails are sent, click the drop-down arrow next to it.
3. Select Manage DNS Records to open the DNS Manager (it may take some time to load for larger DNS Zones).
4. Under the existing DNS records, you’ll see a set of empty fields for creating a new record.
5. Enter the following details:
   • Host Name: _dmarc
   • TTL: Leave the default setting
   • Type: TXT
   • Value: Enter your DMARC record (see “What Should My DMARC Record Look Like?” below)
6. Click Save Changes.

The new record will take some time to propagate.

What Should My DMARC Record Look Like?

For small-to-medium businesses that send fewer than 5,000 emails per day, a basic DMARC record might look like this (replace example.com with your email domain):

v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@example.com

Here's a breakdown:

• v=DMARC1: Specifies the DMARC version. Currently, only DMARC1 is valid.
• p=none: Defines the DMARC policy. "none" means that while SPF and DKIM checks are performed, emails are still delivered to their recipients, and results are added to the headers for review by the receiving mail server (e.g., Gmail may bounce back, while other services might mark it as spam).
• rua=mailto
   
  @example.com: Indicates where DMARC reports will be sent. Replace example.com with your domain and use a valid email address.