DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) is a tool used to protect email senders and receivers from spam, phishing, and email fraud. It helps make sure emails sent from your domain (like “sotherans.co.uk”) are genuine and safe for recipients.

Here’s how DMARC works in simple terms:

  1. Setting the Rules: DMARC allows you, as the owner of a domain, to set rules about who can send emails on behalf of your domain. For example, you might allow only your official email service (like Gmail or Office 365) to send emails from “yourcompany.com.”
  2. Checking for Authenticity: When someone receives an email from your domain, their email provider (like Gmail or Outlook) will check if it passes certain security tests (DKIM and SPF). If the email passes these checks, it’s likely genuine.
  3. Taking Action: If the email doesn’t pass the checks, DMARC lets you decide what should happen:
    • None: No action is taken, but failures are reported to you.
    • Quarantine: Suspicious emails might go to the spam folder.
    • Reject: Suspicious emails are blocked altogether.
  4. Getting Reports: DMARC sends you reports about any emails that fail these checks. This helps you see if someone is trying to misuse your domain and whether your rules are working.

Why DMARC is Important:

DMARC protects your domain from being used by scammers to send fake emails. It builds trust with your recipients because they know emails from your domain are more likely to be real.