Setting up a DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) record is crucial for improving email security and deliverability. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set it up:
Step-by-Step Guide to Set Up a DMARC Record
Access Your DNS Management Interface
Log in to your DNS hosting provider’s control panel. This is where your domain's DNS records are managed. This might be your domain registrar, web hosting provider, or a dedicated DNS service.
Create a New TXT Record
In the DNS management interface, locate the option to add a new DNS record.
Configure the DMARC TXT Record
Choose TXT Record as the type.
Set the name/host to _dmarc.yourdomain.com (replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain name).
In the value/content field, enter your DMARC policy. Below is an example of a DMARC record:
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; ruf=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; fo=1; sp=none; aspf=r;
Here’s what each part means:
v=DMARC1: This specifies the DMARC version.
p=none: The policy for your domain. Common values are:
none: No specific action, just monitor.
quarantine: Mark emails that fail DMARC as spam.
reject: Reject emails that fail DMARC.
rua=mailto
@yourdomain.com: The email address to which aggregate DMARC reports should be sent.
ruf=mailto
@yourdomain.com: The email address to which forensic DMARC reports should be sent.
fo=1: Forensic options. 1 means a report is generated if any DKIM or SPF check fails.
sp=none: Subdomain policy. Same values as p.
aspf=r: Alignment mode for SPF. r for relaxed, s for strict.
Example DMARC Record
Here is an example DMARC record for a domain with a strict policy:
v=DMARC1; p=reject; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; ruf=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; fo=1; sp=reject; aspf=s;
Save the Record
Save the TXT record in your DNS management interface.
Verify the DMARC Record
Use tools like MXToolbox or DMARC Analyzer to verify that your DMARC record is correctly configured.
Example DNS Management Interface
Here’s how you might input this in a typical DNS management interface:
Type: TXT
Name/Host: _dmarc.yourdomain.com
Value/Content:
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; ruf=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; fo=1; sp=none; aspf=r;
Monitoring and Adjusting Your Policy
Start with p=none: This lets you monitor how your emails are being handled without affecting delivery.
Analyze Reports: Review the reports you receive to understand how your emails are being processed and identify any issues.
Adjust Policy Gradually: Based on the reports, gradually tighten your policy to quarantine and eventually to reject if appropriate.
By following these steps, you can successfully set up a DMARC record for your domain, helping to protect your domain from email spoofing and improving email deliverability.
To enable a DMARC policy for your domain, you need to create and publish a DMARC record in your domain's DNS settings. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you through the process:
Step-by-Step Guide to Enable DMARC Policy
Access Your DNS Management Interface
Log in to your DNS hosting provider’s control panel. This could be your domain registrar, web hosting provider, or a dedicated DNS service.
Create a New TXT Record
Locate the section where you can add new DNS records. This is typically under "DNS Management," "DNS Settings," or "DNS Zone File."
Configure the DMARC TXT Record
Type: Select TXT as the record type.
Name/Host: Enter _dmarc.yourdomain.com (replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain name).
Define Your DMARC Policy
In the value/content field, enter your DMARC policy. Here’s an example of a DMARC record:
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; ruf=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; fo=1; sp=none; aspf=r;
Explanation of DMARC Record Components:
v=DMARC1: Indicates the version of DMARC being used.
p=none: Specifies the DMARC policy:
none: No action is taken, only reporting.
quarantine: Emails failing DMARC checks are treated as suspicious.
reject: Emails failing DMARC checks are rejected.
rua=mailto
@yourdomain.com: Aggregate reports email address.
ruf=mailto
@yourdomain.com: Forensic reports email address.
fo=1: Forensic options, where 1 means a report is generated if any DKIM or SPF check fails.
sp=none: Policy for subdomains, same options as p.
aspf=r: Alignment mode for SPF (r for relaxed, s for strict).
Example DMARC Record for Enforcing Policy
If you want to start with a more stringent policy, you can use the following example:
v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; ruf=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; fo=1; sp=quarantine; aspf=s;
Save the Record
Save the TXT record in your DNS management interface.
Verify the DMARC Record
Use tools like MXToolbox or DMARC Analyzer to check that your DMARC record is correctly configured.
Example of Adding a DMARC Record
Here’s how you might input this in a typical DNS management interface:
Type: TXT
Name/Host: _dmarc.yourdomain.com
Value/Content:
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; ruf=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; fo=1; sp=none; aspf=r;
Monitoring and Adjusting Your Policy
Start with p=none: Begin with a monitoring policy to see how your emails are being handled without affecting their delivery.
Analyze Reports: Regularly review the DMARC reports you receive to understand the email traffic and identify any issues.
Gradually Tighten Policy: Based on the reports, you can gradually change the policy from none to quarantine and eventually to reject if necessary.
Transition to Stricter Policies
When you are confident that your legitimate emails are passing DMARC checks, you can update your policy to be more restrictive:
v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; ruf=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; fo=1; sp=quarantine; aspf=s;
Ultimately, you might use:
v=DMARC1; p=reject; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; ruf=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; fo=1; sp=reject; aspf=s;
By following these steps, you can successfully enable a DMARC policy for your domain, which helps protect against email spoofing and improves your email security and deliverability.
