As a business owner, you’re aware that your organization faces an ever-evolving array of cyber threats, with email-based attacks like phishing and spoofing at the forefront. These attacks can not only compromise sensitive information, but also may damage your brand reputation and customer trust, and can lead to significant financial and reputational losses. The complexity of these threats requires ever-evolving defenses, as traditional security measures often fall short in the face of sophisticated email scams.
A key emerging piece of your managed security strategy should include management of your domain’s DMARC service, a powerful email authentication protocol designed to give organizations the ability to protect their domain from unauthorized use, commonly known as email spoofing. How does it work? We’re glad you asked!
What Is DMARC And Why Does It Matter?
DMARC, which stands for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance, is an email authentication, policy, and reporting protocol. It builds on two foundational email authentication methods: SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail). DMARC enables your business to publish policies that define how your email is authenticated and how receiving email servers should handle messages that don’t pass these authentication checks.
When an email is sent, DMARC works by checking that the message’s source is authorized by the domain’s owner using SPF and DKIM. SPF verifies the sender’s IP address, while DKIM verifies that the message content, including headers and body, has not been tampered with. DMARC then takes this a step further by ensuring that the information validated by SPF and DKIM aligns with the domain stated in the email’s “From” field, adding an extra layer of verification. Based on the DMARC policy defined by the sender’s domain, the receiving server can then decide whether to accept, reject, or quarantine the email if these checks fail.
DMARC policies tell how emails failing these checks should be handled, and importantly, they report back to the sender about messages that pass or fail DMARC evaluation. WorkSmart’s Managed DMARC service helps your business identify and resolve potential vulnerabilities or authentication issues proactively. We also offer visibility into how your emails are being handled, and also help in identifying spoofing or phishing attempts.
DMARC is critically important in the fight against email spoofing and phishing attacks. Email spoofing involves sending messages with a forged “From” address, making them appear as if they come from a trusted sender. This is a common tactic in phishing attacks, where attackers trick recipients into divulging sensitive information or downloading malware.
By enforcing and managing DMARC policies and reporting, WorkSmart can significantly reduce the risk of your domain being used in spoofing and phishing campaigns. This not only helps in safeguarding your sensitive data but also protects your brand integrity and customer trust, which are often targeted in such attacks.
What Can Happen Without Managed DMARC?
Without actively managed DMARC, businesses expose themselves to the risk of email spoofing and phishing attacks, which can lead to data breaches, financial loss, and erosion of your reputation and relationships. Without a way to authenticate emails effectively, cyber criminals can easily impersonate a business to exploit its employees, customers, and partners.
One notable recent example of a breach that could have been stopped with managed DMARC involves a well-known financial institution that suffered a significant phishing attack, leading to a substantial financial loss and compromised customer data. The attack was orchestrated using spoofed emails, mimicking the bank’s domain.
Another case involved a retail company that experienced brand damage after attackers sent malicious emails to its customers. These incidents underline the importance of actively managing DMARC in preventing such security threats.
Can I Manage It Myself?
DMARC, SPF, and DKIM are highly technical DNS records that are difficult to manage without a trusted IT partner by your side, and misconfiguration of these records can cause email deliverability and trust issues. The challenge is compounded by the need to monitor and interpret the reports generated by DMARC, requiring a deep understanding of email authentication mechanisms.
Setting the right DMARC policy (none, quarantine, reject) and understanding the implications of these settings is crucial for effective protection without disrupting legitimate email traffic. Misconfiguration can lead to legitimate emails being rejected or quarantined, disrupting business operations.
With WorkSmart’s Managed DMARC service, we handle everything for you, from proper configuration, to report analysis and ongoing management.
Choosing The Right Managed DMARC Partner
When choosing a partner to manage your DMARC (and overall IT security posture), it’s important to consider a number of aspects, including:
- How much experience do they have with email security?
- How is their customer support?
- How comprehensive are their service and security offerings?
WorkSmart’s team has been serving businesses throughout the United States for over 20 years, and has the breadth and depth of experience to help your business, whether you’re just getting started or established and scaling.
Get Started With Managed DMARC Today
DMARC plays a critical role in securing email communication for businesses, protecting against spoofing and phishing attacks that can lead to data breaches and loss of customer trust. Implementing and managing DMARC can be complex, but WorkSmart’s Managed DMARC services offer a solution by providing our proven expertise and simplifying the process.
To find out more about our Managed DMARC services, schedule a consultation with one of our Senior Business Advisors or reach out to your Customer Success Manager today!