DMARC Reports Explained: How To Use Them
For Improved Email Security


Protecting your organization's digital communications hinges on robust email security. A key instrument for achieving this is the DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) report. These reports offer essential information about the status of your email environment, enabling you to thwart phishing attempts, combat email spoofing, and mitigate various cyberattack.

This article will delve into the functionality of DMARC reports and guide you on leveraging them to strengthen your email security measures.


What is DMARC?


Overview of DMARC

DMARC is an email verification standard that operates alongside SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) to safeguard domain owners against the misuse of their domain for sending emails. It verifies that any email purporting to originate from a legitimate domain has received proper authorization from the domain owner.



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The Role of DMARC in Email Security

DMARC enhances security by enabling domain owners to dictate the actions email servers should take with messages that do not pass authentication. The owner has the option to reject, isolate, or observe these emails, allowing for adaptable management of possible security risks.

Check out this webpage for a more in-depth understanding.


DMARC Reports: An Overview


What are DMARC Reports?

Receiving mail servers that handle emails from your domain creates DMARC reports. These reports offer comprehensive insights into the success or failure of authentication checks (SPF, DKIM, and DMARC) for emails sent from your domain. 


Two Types of DMARC Reports

  • Aggregate Reports: Consolidated DMARC reports offer an overview of your domain's email authentication outcomes. They include details like the originating IP address, the overall number of emails processed, and the outcomes of DMARC assessments, regardless of whether they were successful. 

  • Forensic Reports: DMARC investigative reports, commonly known as failure reports, provide detailed information about emails that failed to meet DMARC authentication standards. These reports can assist in detecting particular malicious actions, including phishing attempts.

How to Use DMARC Reports for Improved Email Security


Setting Up DMARC Reporting

To begin receiving DMARC reports, it's essential to set up a DMARC policy for your domain. This requires the creation of a DNS TXT record that outlines your DMARC policy and provides an email address for report delivery. You have three different modes available for configuring your DMARC policy:

  • None: Observe email authentication without implementing any rules. 

  • Quarantine: Consider emails that do not pass DMARC as questionable and move them to the spam or quarantine folder. 

  • Reject: Prevent emails that do not comply with DMARC from arriving in the recipient's inbox.

In order to obtain DMARC reports, the DNS record needs to specify the email addresses for receiving both aggregate and forensic reports.


Analyzing DMARC Aggregate Reports

DMARC aggregate reports offer an extensive overview of the performance of emails sent from your domain. These reports encompass:

  • Transmitting IP Addresses: Determining the identity of individuals sending emails using your domain. 

  • Email Verification Status: Indicating if the emails successfully met SPF, DKIM, and DMARC requirements. 

  • Response Implemented: The outcome of the email—whether it was delivered, placed in quarantine, or denied according to your DMARC guidelines.

Examining these reports allows you to pinpoint unauthorized senders or systems that are improperly configured and struggling with authentication.


Interpreting SPF and DKIM Failures

When a DMARC report indicates failures in SPF or DKIM checks, it could suggest that your SPF records are misconfigured or that the DKIM signature is either absent or invalid. Addressing these problems will help ensure genuine emails successfully pass DMARC verification and reach their intended recipients.


Identifying Malicious Activity

Forensic DMARC reports play a crucial role in identifying and preventing harmful actions. By analyzing the specifics of emails that didn't succeed, you can uncover trends related to unauthorized activities, including phishing efforts. These reports enable you to track the origin of the emails and implement measures to counteract or reduce the risk.



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Best Practices for Managing DMARC Reports


Gradually Moving to a Reject Policy

When implementing DMARC for the first time, it's recommended to set the policy to None. This approach enables you to observe your email traffic without impacting delivery rates. As you review DMARC reports and become more assured in your authentication configuration, you can gradually shift to stricter policies like Quarantine and, eventually, Reject.


Using DMARC Report Analyzers

DMARC reports frequently come in Extensible Markup Language (XML) format, making them challenging to interpret by hand. To make this task easier, consider utilizing DMARC report analysis tools. These applications convert complex XML information into user-friendly dashboards and visualizations, allowing you to swiftly spot problems and patterns in your email activity.