Building Trust 2 October 2017

DMARC

What is DMARC?

Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) reduces the threat of deceptive emails. DMARC creates a feedback loop between legitimate email senders and receivers to make impersonation more difficult for phishers trying to send fraudulent email. DMARC standardizes how email receivers perform email authentication using the well-known SPF and DKIM mechanisms.
  • A multi-stakeholder effort to help provide domain owners enhanced brand security & integrity of the email channel.
  • Builds on lessons learned and the needs of brand owners and receiving networks.
  • Helps to address key deployment issues for of SPF and DKIM
  • Response to the need for scalable and effective policy mechanisms
  • Helps to combat phishing by tying visible Mail User Agent (MUA) “from” to DKIM or SPF authenticated domain

Domain Owners & Email Senders Benefits

  • Enhanced brand protection
  • Ability to communicate to receiving networks and ISPs what to do with illegitimate email
  • Feedback loop to improve and monitor their authentication infrastructure
  • Visibility on both the abuse of their domain and to optimize authentication across all domains and subdomains

Receiving Networks & ISPs Benefits

  • Clarity for handling of un-authenticated & failing email
  • A uniform and scalable way to determine email legitimacy
  • Freedom to act on email with confidence – no more guessing
  • Scalable methods to provide feedback to Domain Owners

End User Benefits

  • Greater confidence of the email channel
  • Significant reduction in risk of phishing from DMARC domains

Resources

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