How Does Google & Yahoo's New DMARC Policy Impact You?
Email remains a critical communication channel for businesses. However, recent policy changes by Google and Yahoo that require DMARC have the potential to significantly impact email deliverability.
DMARC, which stands for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance, is an email validation system designed to protect domain owners from unauthorised use of their domains. That unauthorised use is commonly known as email spoofing.
The new policy byGoogle & Yahoo aims to enhance security by only allowing emails that pass DMARC authentication checks to reach users' inboxes. This means that if your business sends emails using a domain that does not align with DMARC policies, your messages could be rejected or marked as spam.
The New Mail Policy by Google & Yahoo
Many email providers offer some level of spam filtering but haven’t strictly enforced email authentication in the past. That’s changing in the industry due to phishing and the rise of email spoofing.
94% oforganisations have been victims of phishing attacks, and 58% of them suffered an account takeover.
New DMARC policies putin place by Google and Yahoo raise the bar on email security:
· As of February 2024, the new rules took place. Businesses sending over 5,000 emails daily must have DMARC implemented.
· Both companies also have policies for those sending fewer emails. These relate to SPF and DKIM authentication.
Look for email authentication requirements to spread to other email providers as well. You need to pay attention to ensure the continued delivery of your business email.
How Does SPF, DKIM & DMARC Work?
Email authentication verifies that emails sent from your company domain are legitimate and not spam or phishing. This includes verifying the server sending the email. It also includes reporting back unauthorised uses of a company domain.
Email authentication uses three important protocols that all work together:
· SPF(Sender Policy Framework):Records the IP addresses that are approved to send email for a domain.
· DKIM(DomainKeys Identified Mail):Allows domain owners to verify legitimacy by digitally signing emails.
· DMARC(Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): Tells the receiving email server how to handlea message based on the results of an SPF and DKIM check. It also reports backactivity to domain owners.
SPF and DKIM are securitysteps, and DMARC provides information critical to security enforcement.
The Benefitsof Implementing DMARC
Beyond compliance with the evolving email landscape, implementing a DMARC policy offers several advantages for Australian businesses:
- Enhanced Email Deliverability: DMARC ensures legitimate emails reach intended recipients, improving campaign performance and customer engagement.
- Brand Protection: DMARC safeguards your brand reputation by preventing email spoofing attempts that could mislead customers and damage trust.
- Improved Inbox Placement: ISPs like Gmail and Yahoo reward senders with strong authentication protocols. This could potentially lead to more prominent inbox placement for your emails.
- Valuable Insights: DMARC reports provide valuable data on how your emails are being handled, allowing you to identify and address any authentication issues.
Implementing DMARC: A Step-by-Step Guide
Taking control of your email deliverability with DMARC is a straightforward process, but often one that is best left to the professionals. We can ensure it’s done correctly and that ongoing monitoring for spoofing is effective.
Here are the standard steps for implementing email authentication with DMARC:
Domain Name Understanding
Identify your domain name – the web address used at the end of your business email addresses. You'llneed access to your domain registrar's control panel to configure DMARC.
Selecting a DMARC Policy
Choose the appropriate policy based on your risk tolerance. The policy tells the receiving mail server how to handle messages that either match or don’t match authentication.
· Monitor(p=none): Instructs ISPs tomonitor email handling without taking action (suitable for initial implementation).
· Quarantine(p=quarantine): Flags suspicious emails for review by recipients (a cautious approach).
· Reject(p=reject): The strictest option, instructs ISPs to discard unauthenticated emails (ensure your sendinginfrastructure is properly configured before using this).
DMARC Record Creation
A simple line of code needs to be added to your domain's DNS records. It’s important that these records for DMARC, DKIM, and SPF are set up correctly, so your email delivery isn’t negatively impacted.
Monitoring and Adjustment
Once implemented,monitor the reports generated by your DMARC policy. These reports provide insights into email authentication performance and enable you to fine-tune yourstrategy.
Get Expert Guidance & Business Email Solutions
By proactively implementing a DMARC policy, Australian businesses can ensure their emails reach the intended audience and enhance brand protection. With
email spoofing andphishing remaining as major security problems, taking control of emaildeliverability is no longer an option, it's a necessity.
If you are a new business and are looking at setting up the whole IT environment, please read the article below which will guide you what would you need when setting up a new business IT Infrastructure.
Setting Up A New Business IT Infrastructure
If your business requires full Vulnerability Assessment, you can read more about it by clicking the link below.
Vulnerability Assessment for your business
Ensure your emails are delivered and your company is protected from email scammers. XpressteX can assist your Melbourne area business with email security, authentication, and ongoing monitoring.
Please contact us today for a free consultation. Call 1 300 991 030
