Business IT News & Resources

How DMARC Keeps Your Emails Safe: A Comprehensive Guide

Written by JOE USSIA | Mar 14, 2024 11:45:00 AM

Have you ever received a strange email from what seemed like a friend or a company you know, but something about it just didn't seem right? This happens a lot, and it's usually because of spammers pretending to be someone they're not. This is where DMARC comes into play, and it's something everyone should know about, especially if you use email for work or to keep in touch with friends and family.

What is DMARC?

DMARC stands for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance. It helps email providers figure out if an email is genuinely from the person or company it says it's from. Think of DMARC as a superhero that protects you from receiving fake emails.

Why Do We Need DMARC?

Without DMARC, it's very easy for someone bad to send you an email pretending to be someone else, like your bank or a close friend. This can lead to all sorts of problems, like fraud or viruses. DMARC helps reduce this risk by making sure that the emails you receive are legit.

How Does DMARC Work?

Think of DMARC as a secret handshake between email servers. When someone sends you an email, their email server gives your email server a secret handshake that proves the email is real. If the secret handshake doesn't match up, DMARC tells your email server what to do with the fake email, like sending it straight to the junk folder or not delivering it at all.

The Importance of Setting Up DMARC

Setting up DMARC for your email is like putting a lock on your mailbox. It helps protect you and everyone you email from those pesky fake emails. If you're a business, it's even more important because it helps protect your brand and your customers' trust in you.

BIMI: Making Emails Friendlier and Safer

While we're talking about email safety, let's mention BIMI - Brand Indicators for Message Identification. BIMI works with DMARC and adds a company's logo next to their email in your inbox. It's not just about making emails look nicer (which it does); it's about making it easier for you to see which emails are real and safe. If you see a familiar logo next to an email, BIMI and DMARC are working together to show you that email is not a fake.

Why Work with a Managed Service Provider (MSP)?

Setting up DMARC and BIMI can be a complex process, and it's important to get it right. A Managed Service Provider (MSP) like Infinite IT has the expertise and experience to help you set up DMARC and BIMI correctly, ensuring that your emails are safe and secure. Working with an MSP like Infinite IT can save you time and resources and give you peace of mind knowing that your email security is in good hands, and that your DMARC and BIMI services are maintained to proper standards going forward.

Complexities in setting it, ongoing management, maximizing effectiveness along with dedicated support are all excellent reasons for working with your MSP to set DMARC up properly.

Google, Yahoo, Microsoft and Others

Did you know that the biggest email providers (including Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft) are all moving towards strict enforcement of DMARC requirements in order to ensure proper delivery of your emails?  In fact, Google has stated that in 2024, any email domain that does not have DMARC properly set up will either get sent directly to junk mail, or even worse, rejected altogether!

You can read up on Google’s announcement here: https://blog.google/products/gmail/gmail-security-authentication-spam-protection/

If you search the web you can find evidence that most (if not all) major email service providers have made the same stance and are working towards securing email and mitigating criminal threat actors from impersonating someone to trick you.

Long Story Short…

Having a proper DMARC setup is crucial for keeping your emails safe from imposters. It's like having a superhero and a bodyguard for your inbox, making sure only the good emails get through. Whether you're an individual or a business, taking the time to set up DMARC (and BIMI for an added bonus) is a smart move to protect yourself and those you communicate with. Working with a MSP like 8it.ca can make the process easier and more effective.

As an absolute baseline, 100% of companies absolutely NEED to have DMARC set up right away. Infinite IT has a great solution that is super affordable, low cost and extremely reliable that can be implemented within days to protect your corporate emails and ensure your company communications continue flowing properly.

Remember, in the world of email, it's always better to be safe than sorry. Let's make our inboxes a safer place, one email at a time.

Want more information?  Send an email to info@8it.ca today to discuss your DMARC services.