Imagine someone pretending to be you, sending fake emails to your customers, colleagues, or friends. This is called email spoofing, and it can damage your reputation, compromise sensitive information, and make your domain untrustworthy.
Today, with AI tools accessible to anyone, even people who don’t know how to code can create convincing phishing emails or spoof messages that mimic legitimate communication. This makes it even more crucial to learn how to protect your domain and organisation from these threats.
Thankfully, a solution: DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance). Think of it as a security guard for your email domain, helping to identify and stop unauthorised emails before they reach anyone. In this article, we’ll explain DMARC, how to interpret reports and share real-life examples of businesses tackling email spoofing. By the end, you’ll know how to secure your domain—even if you’re not tech-savvy.
What is DMARC, and Why Does It Matter?
What is Email Spoofing?
Email spoofing happens when someone fakes your email address to send harmful or fraudulent emails. For example:
- A scammer might impersonate your business to send phishing emails to your customers.
- Spammers could use your domain to send junk mail, damaging your reputation.
In the past, such attacks required some technical expertise. However, with AI-generated tools available to everyone, attackers can easily create highly convincing, personalised phishing emails. These emails can even mimic the writing style of your organisation, making them harder to detect.
What Does DMARC Do?
DMARC works alongside two key technologies, SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), to verify that emails claiming to come from your domain are legitimate. When an email doesn’t pass these checks:
- DMARC tells receiving servers what to do, like sending the email to spam or blocking it entirely.
- It sends you reports that show how your domain is being used and whether anyone is trying to misuse it.
Why Protecting Your Domain is More Important Than Ever
AI has made email attacks faster and more convincing. For example:
- Phishing Emails: AI can generate emails that look like they were written by your organisation, complete with personalised details.
- Fake Content: Attackers can use AI to replicate your branding and tone of voice, fooling even cautious recipients.
- Increased Scale: AI allows terrible actors to send massive spoofed emails quickly and cheaply.
These threats make it essential for organisations to secure their email domains and educate employees on how to recognise and respond to potential scams.
What is a DMARC Report?
When you set up DMARC, you’ll receive reports showing:
- Who’s sending emails using your domain.
- Whether those emails passed authentication checks.
- What happened to the emails (e.g., sent to spam, delivered, or blocked).
DMARC reports are like a logbook for your domain’s email activity. They help you detect unauthorised use and make adjustments to stop future attempts.
Case Study 1: Spoofing Attempt from Russia
What Happened?
A DMARC report from Mail.ru flagged an email sent from a suspicious IP address in Russia (95.153.241.43).
The email:
- Claimed to be from a legitimate domain, davismw.com.
- Failed both SPF and DKIM checks, proving it was not authorised.
- It was sent to spam, as the DMARC policy instructed.
What Was Done?
- The suspicious IP address was blocked to prevent further misuse.
- The domain’s DMARC policy was strengthened to block unauthorised emails entirely.
- SPF and DKIM settings were reviewed and adjusted to ensure better email authentication.
Case Study 2: Suspicious Activity on a Google IP
What Happened?
- A DMARC report from Yahoo flagged an email sent from a Google-owned IP address (209.85.160.231). The email:
- It was supposed to come from davismw.com but was linked to a suspicious domain.
- Failed SPF and DKIM checks.
- Was quarantined in spam, following the DMARC policy.
What Was Done?
- The misuse was reported to Google for investigation.
- SPF and DKIM settings were updated to prevent unauthorised emails from being sent.
- Regular monitoring of DMARC reports helped ensure no further issues.
How Can You Protect Your Domain?
Set Up DMARC
DMARC is a set of rules that tells email servers how to handle unauthorised emails. Start by setting it to send suspicious emails to spam, then adjust your settings to block them entirely once you’re confident everything is working correctly.
Check and Update SPF
SPF ensures only authorised servers can send emails from your domain. Please review your list of approved servers and ensure no unauthorised ones are included.
Use DKIM for Added Security
DKIM adds a digital signature to your emails, proving they haven’t been tampered with. Work with your email provider to set it up correctly.
Monitor DMARC Reports
Review your reports regularly to:
- Identify suspicious IP addresses or activities.
- Fine-tune your domain’s security settings.
- Stay ahead of evolving threats.
Why Educating Your Team is Critical
Your domain’s security measures are only part of the solution. People in your organisation must also:
- Be aware of the risks of email spoofing and phishing.
- Know how to recognise suspicious emails.
- Understand the importance of reporting anything unusual.
With AI making attacks more convincing, it’s vital to ensure everyone in your organisation, even those who aren’t tech-savvy, is prepared.
Final Thoughts
The rise of accessible AI tools has made email spoofing and phishing more dangerous than ever. However, DMARC, SPF, and DKIM provide powerful tools to protect your domain, reputation, and customers. You can avoid attackers by setting up these measures and regularly monitoring reports.
If you’re unsure where to start or want a hassle-free solution, we offer services to help you set up and manage email authentication, monitor reports, and secure your domain. Contact us today to take the stress out of protecting your organisation and focus on what you do best.
