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Summary

The importance of an external email verifier on DMARC lies in its ability to validate third-party reporting relationships and prevent abuse of the DMARC reporting system, though it isn't always a strict requirement. Experts suggest these verifiers may be treated specially to prevent mailbombing. Proper implementation and monitoring of DMARC are crucial for protecting against email spoofing, improving deliverability, and identifying authentication issues. DMARC reports provide feedback to domain owners on the authentication status of their emails. Enhanced domain validation checks, TXT record verification, and ensuring compliance of third-party verifiers are essential components. When selecting a DMARC vendor, consider data hosting location for PII compliance. Ensure DMARC aggregate reports are sent to the correct `rua` address and that the receiving server can accept them.

Key findings

  • Abuse Prevention: External verifiers and validation records help prevent abuse of the DMARC reporting system.
  • Deliverability Impact: DMARC significantly impacts email deliverability and sender reputation.
  • Reporting Validation: Validating third-party reporting relationships is key for authorization and compliance.
  • Data Privacy: DMARC vendor data hosting location is a crucial consideration for PII compliance.
  • DMARC reports are sent to the `RUA` Tag: Ensure DMARC aggregate reports are sent to the email address specified in the `rua` tag.

Key considerations

  • Validation Records: Ensure third-party reporting relationships are validated with proper records.
  • Vendor Selection: Consider data hosting location when choosing a DMARC vendor, especially for PII.
  • Third-Party Compliance: Ensure third-party verifiers comply with DMARC policies.
  • RUA Address: The receiving server must be capable of accepting DMARC reports to the RUA address.
  • Monitor DMARC: DMARC implementation can be tricky, particularly when dealing with various email senders and services.

What email marketers say

8 marketer opinions

Implementing an external email verifier with DMARC is important for several reasons, though not always strictly required. It ensures that third-party reporting is validated, preventing malicious actors from abusing the reporting mechanism. While some senders don't require it, it's considered a best practice to maximize report reception. Proper DMARC setup and monitoring are crucial for protecting against email spoofing, improving deliverability, and gaining insights into email authentication issues. When using third-party reporting, validation records are essential to authorize the third party to receive reports.

Key opinions

  • Report Reception: Using an external email verifier maximizes the reception of DMARC reports.
  • Abuse Prevention: Third-party reporting validation prevents malicious actors from abusing DMARC reporting mechanisms.
  • DMARC Protection: DMARC protects against email spoofing and phishing attacks.
  • Deliverability Impact: DMARC implementation impacts email deliverability and sender reputation.

Key considerations

  • Validation Records: Ensure validation records are in place when using third-party reporting.
  • Full DMARC Setup: A complete DMARC setup includes record publication, validation, and correct configuration of reporting addresses.
  • Monitoring Importance: Monitoring DMARC reports provides insights into email handling and authentication issues.
  • Complying Third-Party Verifiers: It's vital to ensure your third party verifiers comply.

Marketer view

Email marketer from DMARC.org shares that implementing DMARC is crucial for protecting your domain from email spoofing and phishing attacks. It enables you to control how email receivers handle messages that fail authentication checks, and it provides valuable feedback through reports that can help you identify and address potential security issues.

25 Jul 2021 - DMARC.org

Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit shares that DMARC implementation can be tricky, particularly when dealing with various email senders and services. Ensuring all sources of email are properly authenticated and aligned with DMARC policies is essential for successful implementation. The Reddit user states that ensuring your third party verifiers also comply is vital to this.

25 Jul 2023 - Reddit

What the experts say

3 expert opinions

Experts highlight the importance of external email verifiers and third-party relationships in DMARC. These verifiers might be treated specially to prevent abuse like mailbombing. Verifying third-party reporting relationships with validation records is key to authorizing report reception and preventing system abuse. Furthermore, when choosing a DMARC vendor, data hosting location (US vs. EU) is a critical factor, especially if handling Personally Identifiable Information (PII), where EU vendors are often required.

Key opinions

  • Abuse Prevention: Third-party verifiers may be specially handled to prevent DMARC report mailbombing.
  • Reporting Validation: Validating third-party reporting relationships prevents abuse of the DMARC reporting system.
  • Data Hosting: DMARC vendor data hosting location (US vs. EU) matters for PII compliance.

Key considerations

  • Validation Records: Ensure third-party reporting relationships are validated with proper records.
  • Vendor Selection: Consider data hosting location when choosing a DMARC vendor, especially for PII.
  • Special Handling: Understand that DMARC report generators may treat 3rd parties in a special way.

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks suggests that 3rd party providers might be treated specially by report generators to prevent using DMARC reports to mailbomb innocent 3rd parties.

22 Jan 2024 - Email Geeks

Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise (in an article) suggests that when choosing a DMARC vendor, it is important to consider where they host their data. Some are based in the US and some in the EU. If your company deals with personally identifiable information (PII) then you must choose a DMARC vendor from the EU or you may get into trouble.

19 Jan 2023 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says

4 technical articles

DMARC reports are crucial for providing feedback to domain owners on the authentication status of their emails. These reports, delivered to the email address specified in the `rua` tag, help monitor and improve authentication practices and identify potential abuse. Enhanced domain validation checks, particularly for third-party reporting, are essential to prevent attackers from exploiting the reporting mechanism. The receiving server must be able to accept these reports. Verifying the receiving domain with TXT records is a critical step, and the lack of such a record should be treated as an error.

Key findings

  • Report Delivery: DMARC aggregate reports are sent to the email specified in the `rua` tag.
  • Feedback Mechanism: DMARC reports provide feedback on email authentication status and help identify abuse.
  • Validation Checks: Enhanced domain validation checks prevent exploitation of the reporting mechanism.
  • TXT Record Verification: TXT record lookups verify the legitimacy of reporting parties.

Key considerations

  • Receiving Server: The receiving server must be capable of accepting DMARC reports.
  • Reporting Legitimacy: Verify the legitimacy of reporting parties through TXT record lookups.
  • Authentication issues: Fix any authentication issues as they can impact DMARC processing.
  • Proper Tag Usage: Ensure the `rua` tag is correctly set to an appropriate email address.

Technical article

Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help states that DMARC aggregate reports are sent to the email address specified in the `rua` tag of the DMARC record. The receiving server must be able to accept these reports, and any authentication issues with the reports themselves can impact DMARC processing.

31 Dec 2022 - Google Workspace Admin Help

Technical article

Documentation from RFC7489 explains that DMARC reports provide feedback to domain owners about the authentication status of their email. These reports help domain owners monitor and improve their email authentication practices, identify potential sources of abuse, and ensure that legitimate email is properly authenticated.

8 Dec 2024 - RFC Editor

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