Microsoft finally honors DMARC

Microsoft announced this summer that it has started to honor DMARC policy settings when accepting incoming email. Because Microsoft is one of the world's biggest email handlers, this is a significant, and belated, endorsement of sender-managed spam policies. Microsoft's own announcement has the details: Announcing new DMARC policy handling defaults.

What is DMARC?

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication Reporting and Conformance) is a protocol that uses specific public DNS records to tell recipients' mail servers what to do with unauthorized email. DMARC also provides detailed reporting on all email associated with your domain name, so you can see the extent of unauthorized email sent using your domain as a return address.

Configured properly, then monitored and adjusted over time, DMARC can reduce cybersecurity risks and improve deliverability for legitimate email. Configured improperly, DMARC instructions could cause all of your outgoing email to be rejected, so you need to know what is going on under the hood.

Macktez domain management

We have been managing domain health and security for decades, and we can help your organization as well. Our monthly subscription first confirms you are using a secure, trusted domain registrar with properly configured DNS records. Then we configure and enable the standard email security tools (SPF, DKIM, and DMARC) to reduce the ability of malicious actors to use your domain for phishing, while giving recipients greater confidence that messages from you are authentic. We monitor DMARC reports and gradually tighten the DMARC policy, making DNS adjustments as needed.

For more information, see:

• Domain management service
• DMARC and email deliverability