What are DMARC reports and how to read them in 2024

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With phishing and spam becoming more common, it is critical for businesses to understand DMARC reports and how to read them in 2024. These reports provide important insights into your existing email security posture and how your emails are perceived by the recipients. Some well-known mailbox providers have already made the protocol mandatory to maintain spam-free inboxes and perform authentication checks before any email reaches the user, ensuring that the user's information and assets are protected. DMARC reports are a comprehensive collection of data provided by the Domain-Based Message Authentication Reporting and Conformance Protocol, which is generated by email receivers and sent to the domain owners of the received emails. These reports are designed to provide valuable insights into your email behavior, mail flow, SPF/DKIM authentication results, and other details.

1. What is a DMARC report?
DMARC validation results are based on SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and/or DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) validation checks. Based on the policy actions defined by the domain owner, the report highlights the actions taken by the recipient’s mail server, with two possible outcomes – pass or fail.

2. Why enable DMARC reporting?
By enabling DMARC XML reporting for your active domains, you can monitor fraudulent activity and even learn about malicious sources that are impersonating your domains to send false buy bulk sms service information to your customers and partners. By taking action against such abuse, you can not only protect your brand reputation, but also protect your customers from potential harm.

Types of DMARC reports
There are two main types of DMARC reports: DMARC rua aggregate reports and DMARC ruf forensic reports. While both types of reports are sent in similar file formats, they provide different information to domain owners.

IV. How to enable DMARC reporting
Simply define the DMARC "rua" tag and configure your email address in the domain's DMARC TXT record to enable DMARC reporting. Register on the PowerDMARC portal and click PowerToolbox > Select in the menu. Select your preferred DMARC policy option from None, Quarantine, and Reject. In all three domain policies, receivers will continue to send reports, but the actions taken will be different. It is recommended that you first monitor your domain in the None state, then gradually move to Reject by choosing to partially enforce Quarantine. Finally, when you are confident in your mail flow and legitimate email sources, move from Quarantine to Reject. This will ensure that your legitimate senders are not blocked by recipients.

5. How to read DMARC report
Your DMARC raw reports provide important data about email activity on your domain, which is essential to helping you protect against future phishing attacks and fraudulent emails. Raw DMARC reports are sent in the following format, usually via email with the subject line "DMARC Report". You can visit PoweDMARC's knowledge base to learn more about each report and how to easily configure individual reports for your domain.