Summary
Following a domain impersonation attempt and subsequent DMARC policy adjustments, legitimate GSuite emails often land in spam folders due to a confluence of factors. These include a tarnished sender reputation, improperly configured SPF and DKIM records, sudden shifts to stricter DMARC policies, DNS propagation delays, and failure to authorize all legitimate mail streams. The recovery strategy necessitates meticulously reviewing and bolstering email authentication mechanisms, gradually adjusting DMARC policies while monitoring deliverability rates, initiating IP warming procedures, and vigilantly tracking user engagement metrics. Allowing ample time for DNS changes to propagate and for email receivers to recalibrate their filters is also vital, alongside regularly scrutinizing DMARC reports to promptly address authentication failures and fine-tune SPF/DKIM records. It's crucial to remember that email filters and authentication protocols require time to adapt to changes, and a hasty or incomplete implementation can exacerbate delivery issues.
Key findings
- Reputation Degradation: Domain impersonation attempts severely damage sender reputation, leading to legitimate emails being flagged as spam.
- Authentication Deficiencies: Incorrect, incomplete, or missing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC configurations cause authentication failures, resulting in spam placement.
- Abrupt Policy Changes: Sudden transitions to stricter DMARC policies (e.g., from 'none' to 'quarantine' or 'reject') can inadvertently block legitimate communications.
- Propagation Latency: DNS propagation delays after modifying authentication records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) cause intermittent delivery issues.
- Authorization Omissions: Neglecting to authorize all legitimate email sources (including GSuite) in SPF and DKIM records leads to deliverability problems.
- Processing Delay: Email systems and filtering algorithms require time to process and adjust to changes made to domain authentication records.
Key considerations
- Authentication Scrutiny: Thoroughly review and reinforce email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to ensure accurate configuration and authorization of all legitimate sources.
- Gradual Policy Implementation: Implement DMARC policies incrementally, closely monitoring deliverability rates and making gradual adjustments as needed to avoid unintended consequences.
- Reputation Management: Actively monitor sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and promptly address any identified issues impacting deliverability.
- Warm-Up Strategy: Implement an IP warming strategy to rebuild sender reputation gradually, particularly after a domain impersonation event.
- Content Optimization: Optimize email content to enhance engagement, avoid spam trigger words, and provide clear opt-out options to improve sender reputation.
- Time Allowance: Allow sufficient time (typically up to 48 hours) for DNS changes to propagate fully across the internet and for email systems to adapt to new configurations.
- Report Monitoring: Regularly monitor DMARC reports to identify authentication failures promptly and adjust SPF/DKIM records accordingly to maintain optimal deliverability.
- One Change At A Time: When troubleshooting, only implement one change at a time and test to ensure that change has not negatively affected email deliverability before implementing any other changes.
What email marketers say
10 marketer opinions
After a domain impersonation attempt and a subsequent DMARC policy change, legitimate GSuite emails often end up in the spam folder due to several reasons. These include damaged sender reputation, incorrect or incomplete email authentication settings (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), sudden or drastic DMARC policy changes, DNS propagation delays, and the failure to authorize all legitimate mail streams. Recovering from this situation involves carefully reviewing and tightening email authentication, monitoring deliverability rates and adjusting DMARC policies gradually, warming up IP addresses, and closely monitoring user engagement metrics. It's also important to allow sufficient time for DNS changes to propagate and for email receivers to adjust their filters.
Key opinions
- Damaged Reputation: Domain reputation is often negatively impacted by impersonation attempts, leading to deliverability issues even for legitimate emails.
- Authentication Issues: Incorrect or incomplete SPF, DKIM, and DMARC settings can cause legitimate emails to be flagged as spam.
- Sudden Policy Change: A sudden shift to a stricter DMARC policy (e.g., 'quarantine' or 'reject') can inadvertently block legitimate emails.
- DNS Propagation Delays: DNS propagation delays following SPF, DKIM, or DMARC changes can cause intermittent deliverability problems.
- Unverified DKIM Setup: Failure to include all sending sources, like GSuite, in SPF records will negatively affect deliverability.
Key considerations
- Review Authentication: Carefully review and tighten email authentication settings (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to ensure all legitimate sources are properly authorized.
- Gradual Policy Changes: Adjust DMARC policies gradually and monitor deliverability rates to avoid unintended consequences.
- Monitor Reputation: Monitor sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and address any identified issues.
- IP Warming: Consider warming up IP addresses to rebuild sender reputation, especially after impersonation attempts.
- Content Engagement: Focus on creating highly engaging content and avoid spam trigger words to improve sender reputation.
- DNS Propagation Time: Allow sufficient time (up to 48 hours) for DNS changes to fully propagate across the internet.
- Monitor DMARC Reports: Closely monitor DMARC reports to identify authentication failures and adjust SPF/DKIM records accordingly.
Marketer view
Email marketer from SendGrid suggests improving sender reputation by ensuring consistent sending patterns, authenticating your email with SPF and DKIM, and gradually increasing email volume. Also monitor your sending reputation with tools like Google Postmaster Tools to identify and resolve any issues that may be affecting deliverability.
26 Oct 2021 - SendGrid
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests making one change at a time, waiting for it to propagate in DNS, then testing to see if it makes a difference, and repeating if necessary. He also recommends clearly describing the problem first, not just the backstory.
18 Aug 2023 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
7 expert opinions
After a domain impersonation attempt and DMARC policy change, legitimate GSuite emails may end up in spam due to a combination of factors including improper DKIM setup on the Google account, filters needing time to recognize changes in authentication, DNS propagation delays, negative Google/domain reputation from the impersonation, and failure to authorize all legitimate mail streams. Experts recommend ensuring DKIM is properly configured, allowing time for filters and DNS to update, and verifying all legitimate sources are authorized.
Key opinions
- DKIM Configuration: Improper or missing DKIM setup for GSuite can lead to deliverability issues.
- Filter Adaptation Time: Email filters require time to recognize and adapt to changes in DKIM signatures and overall authentication configuration.
- DNS Propagation: Changes to DNS records related to authentication take time to propagate across the internet.
- Reputation Damage: Domain impersonation attempts can negatively impact the Google/domain reputation, leading to spam filtering.
- Authorization Gaps: Forgetting to authorize all legitimate mail streams (including GSuite) can cause delivery failures after tightening DMARC.
Key considerations
- Verify DKIM: Ensure DKIM is properly configured for the Google account to authenticate outgoing emails.
- Patience is Key: Allow sufficient time (a week or two) for filters to recognize changes and for DNS to propagate.
- Monitor Authentication: Continuously monitor email authentication and adjust SPF/DKIM settings as needed.
- Review Auth Sources: Double-check all legitimate email sources and ensure they are authorized in SPF and DKIM records.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks suggests that since all the forged mail came from Google, there might be a negative Google/domain reputation that needs time to be fixed now that DKIM is correctly signing emails.
24 Nov 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that because a significant change was made to the domain's authentication records, the machines need time to process the changes.
18 Feb 2024 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
5 technical articles
After a domain impersonation attempt and subsequent DMARC policy change, legitimate GSuite emails often end up in spam due to incorrect or incomplete email authentication settings (SPF and DKIM). Implementing DMARC, particularly with a quarantine or reject policy, can cause emails failing DMARC checks to land in spam. This often arises from misconfigured SPF records that don't include all authorized sending sources or missing DKIM signatures on outgoing GSuite emails. Reviewing DMARC reports to identify authentication failures and ensuring all legitimate sources are properly authenticated is crucial.
Key findings
- DMARC Impact: DMARC implementation, particularly with stricter policies, can initially cause legitimate emails to be marked as spam.
- Authentication Errors: Incorrectly configured SPF and DKIM records are primary reasons for emails failing DMARC checks.
- SPF Configuration: SPF records not including all authorized sending sources result in SPF check failures.
- DKIM Signatures: Missing or misconfigured DKIM signatures can lead to authentication failures for GSuite emails.
Key considerations
- Review DMARC Reports: Regularly review DMARC aggregate reports to identify sources failing authentication.
- Correct SPF Records: Update SPF records to include all legitimate sending IP addresses and domains.
- Configure DKIM: Ensure DKIM signing is properly configured for all GSuite outgoing emails.
- Authentication Verification: Verify that all email sources are properly authenticated with SPF and DKIM.
- Policy Review: Ensure the DMARC policy is not overly strict (e.g., 'p=reject' initially) to avoid unintended consequences.
Technical article
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that implementing DMARC can initially cause some legitimate emails to be marked as spam, especially if the SPF and DKIM records are not correctly configured or if the policy is too strict (e.g., 'p=reject'). It also suggests checking DMARC reports to identify legitimate sources that are failing authentication.
22 Sep 2023 - Google Workspace Admin Help
Technical article
Documentation from RFC covers the standards for DKIM, which provides an email authentication mechanism. Post-impersonation, GSuite emails failing authentication may indicate a DKIM misconfiguration or missing DKIM signature for those emails. Ensure that DKIM signing is properly configured for all GSuite outgoing emails.
4 Oct 2022 - RFC
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