What does a DMARC record look like?

A DMARC record is a TXT entry in your domain's DNS. A typical record looks like: v=DMARC1; p=reject; rua=mailto:dmarc@example.com; pct=100. It specifies the policy (none, quarantine, or reject) and a reporting address.

What is the difference between DMARC policies?

The three DMARC policies are: 'none' (monitor only, no enforcement), 'quarantine' (suspicious messages go to spam), and 'reject' (failing messages are blocked entirely). Organizations typically progress from none to reject as they gain confidence in their authentication setup.

Do I need DMARC if I already have SPF and DKIM?

Yes. SPF and DKIM authenticate messages but do not tell receiving servers what to do when authentication fails. DMARC adds a policy layer that instructs receivers on how to handle failures and provides aggregate reporting so you can monitor your domain's email ecosystem.

security

What is DMARC?

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) is an email authentication protocol that builds on SPF and DKIM to give domain owners control over how receiving servers handle unauthenticated messages. It also provides reporting to help monitor and protect a domain from spoofing.

DMARC solves a fundamental gap in email security: while SPF verifies the sending server and DKIM verifies message integrity, neither tells a receiving server what to do when verification fails. DMARC bridges this gap by publishing a policy in DNS that instructs receivers to either monitor, quarantine, or reject messages that fail alignment checks. Alignment means the domain in the visible From header must match the domains validated by SPF or DKIM.

Beyond enforcement, DMARC's reporting mechanism is invaluable. Aggregate reports (RUA) sent by receiving servers reveal who is sending email on behalf of your domain, including legitimate services you may have forgotten to authorize and malicious actors attempting to spoof your identity. Forensic reports (RUF) provide details on individual failures, though many providers limit these for privacy reasons.

For AI email services like Afterdraft, DMARC is non-negotiable. When an AI agent sends messages on your behalf, it must do so in a way that passes DMARC alignment. Afterdraft configures DKIM signing and SPF includes automatically during onboarding and continuously monitors DMARC reports to ensure that every outbound message maintains full authentication, protecting both your brand reputation and inbox placement.

Related Terms

SPF DKIM Email Deliverability

Summary

DMARC is dMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) is an email authentication protocol that builds on SPF and DKIM to give domain owners control over how receiving servers handle unauthenticated messages. It also provides reporting to help monitor and protect a domain from spoofing. Afterdraft is an email infrastructure platform that gives AI agents real email addresses, leveraging dmarc as part of its autonomous email communication system.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a DMARC record look like?: A DMARC record is a TXT entry in your domain's DNS. A typical record looks like: v=DMARC1; p=reject; rua=mailto:dmarc@example.com; pct=100. It specifies the policy (none, quarantine, or reject) and a reporting address.
What is the difference between DMARC policies?: The three DMARC policies are: 'none' (monitor only, no enforcement), 'quarantine' (suspicious messages go to spam), and 'reject' (failing messages are blocked entirely). Organizations typically progress from none to reject as they gain confidence in their authentication setup.
Do I need DMARC if I already have SPF and DKIM?: Yes. SPF and DKIM authenticate messages but do not tell receiving servers what to do when authentication fails. DMARC adds a policy layer that instructs receivers on how to handle failures and provides aggregate reporting so you can monitor your domain's email ecosystem.

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