How to Create a DMARC Record?

Emails have become a vital means of communication in today’s digital era. However, they are also vulnerable to many phishing, spoofing, and spamming risks. Combating these threats is essential – businesses & individuals must implement robust security measures to protect their emails from cyber attacks. One of the most effective security measures is DMARC. DMARC is short for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance. It helps protect your email domain from unauthorized use. It also ensures email deliverability by providing a framework for email authentication & reporting. So, in this blog post, we will learn how to create a DMARC record.

How to Create a DMARC Record?

Creating a DMARC record involves a series of steps. It requires you to set up the policy, publish it in your DNS (Domain Name System), and monitor its effectiveness.

Understand DMARC

Before creating a DMARC record, it’s essential to grasp its purpose & components. DMARC combines SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) authentication mechanisms to validate incoming emails. It allows senders to specify how email receivers should handle messages that fail authentication checks, reducing the likelihood of email fraud.

Define your DMARC Policy

Pick the policy you need to execute for your domain. There are 3 DMARC policies – none, quarantine, and reject.

None

This policy is for monitoring only, allowing you to collect data on emails that fail authentication without taking any action.

Quarantine

Emails that fail authentication are placed in the spam or quarantine folder. This gives recipients a chance to review them.

Reject

The strictest policy, where emails that fail authentication are outright rejected, reduces the risk of phishing attacks.

Create the DMARC Record

To create a DMARC record, add a TXT record to your domain’s DNS settings (you will find the steps below to add a TXT record). The DMARC record contains instructions for email receivers on what to do if messages from your domain fail authentication.

Record Syntax

A DMARC record consists of various tags, each with specific values defining the policy. Common tags include “v” (version), “p” (policy), “rua” (reporting URI for aggregate reports), and “ruf” (reporting URI for forensic reports).

Set the Policy Tag

Determine the policy you want to enforce (none, quarantine, or reject) and set it using the “p” tag in your DMARC record. For example, “p=reject” tells receivers to deny emails failing authentication.

Specify Reporting Addresses

Decide where you want to receive DMARC reports by setting the “rua” (aggregate reports) and “ruf” (forensic reports) tags. Aggregate reports provide summarized data on email authentication, while forensic reports offer detailed information on individual email failures.

Publish the DMARC Record

Once you have created the DMARC record with your desired policy and reporting settings, publish it in your DNS zone file. Access your domain registrar’s DNS management interface and add a new TXT record with the DMARC information.

Test & Monitor

After publishing the DMARC record, it’s crucial to test its effectiveness and monitor its performance regularly. Send test emails from various sources to ensure they comply with your DMARC policy, and review the reports generated by DMARC-compliant receivers to identify any issues.

Adjust as Needed

Depending on your company’s email practices and security requirements, you may need to adjust your DMARC policy over time. Analyze the reports and feedback to fine-tune your policy and improve email authentication and deliverability.

How to add a TXT record to your domain’s DNS settings to create a DMARC record?

1. Login to Your Domain Registrar’s Website

Go to the company’s website where you registered your domain and log in to your account.

2. Access Domain Settings or DNS Management

Look for an option like “Domain Settings” or “DNS Management” in your account dashboard and click on it.

3. Locate DNS Records Section

Within the settings, find the section where you manage DNS records. You might see it as “DNS Records,” “DNS Management,” or something like that.

4. Choose to Add a New Record

Look for a button or link that allows the addition of new DNS records. It might say “Add Record” or something similar.

5. Select TXT Record Type

When prompted to choose the record type, select “TXT” from the dropdown menu or options provided.

6. Enter TXT Record Information

Enter the necessary information for your TXT record, such as the host (usually “@” for the root domain) and the text content of the record.

7. Save Your Changes

After entering the TXT record information, save your changes. This is usually done by clicking a “Save” or “Update” button.

8. Verify the Record Addition

Review the domain’s DNS records to confirm that the TXT record has been successfully added. You should see the new TXT record listed among them.

Why Create a DMARC Record?

Look at these stats – and you will know why.

• According to Verizon DBIR, 80% of reported security incidents stem from phishing.

• According to Proofpoint, 1 in 4 employees click on phishing emails.

• According to the FBI IC3, phishing scams cause over $1.8 billion in annual losses.

Conclusion

Creating a DMARC record is essential for securing your email domain against phishing & spoofing attacks. Implementing a DMARC policy helps protect your company’s reputation and enhances email deliverability & reliability. Follow the outlined steps to create and deploy a DMARC record for your domain, and regularly monitor and adjust your policy to stay ahead of emerging threats. We hope you now answer how to create a DMARC record. Also, if you need help with this, connect with top server providers like Leasepacket.

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