Google and Yahoo announced requirements that specifically target bulk senders and will require a DMARC in place beginning February 2024.
Google and Yahoo both recognize the importance of email and are taking steps toward making it more safe and secure. By focusing on email validation, they are helping prevent unwanted spam and potential bad actors from reaching their customers’ inboxes.
Overview of a DMARC
Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) is an email authentication, policy, and reporting protocol. It uses Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) protocols, adding a connection to the domain name for recipient handling of authentication failures and reporting from receivers to senders. Furthermore, it is to improve and monitor the protection of the domain from fraudulent email.
Sending from a domain with DMARC in place has the benefit of improving inbox placement. A DMARC record helps ISPs identify you as a sender who is serious about following established email standards and reducing your spam liability.
Accommodating email records
Your messages pass SPF using the same domain as your message From: header. This is the Return-Path value within email headers. This header value is called the bounce domain, envelope-from, or MailFrom.
Beginning February 2024, emails must pass DMARC through these requirements:
- Authenticating with SPF.
- Authenticating with DKIM.
- Published DMARC TXT record.
DMARC
| Subdomain | _dmarc |
| Record Data | v=DMARC1; p=none; (Minimum required) |
| Suggested to add emails for stat data | v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:username@example_1.tld; ruf=mailto:username@example_2.tld;fo=1 |
SPF
| TXT | Root Domain |
| Record Data | v=spf1 include:_spf.hostedemail.com ~all Note: For the Hosted Email platform. |
Understanding a DMARC structure
| Tag | Value | Translation |
| V | DMARC1 | The DMARC version should always be DMARC1. Note: An incorrect DMARC tag would cause the entire record to be ignored. |
| P | none | The policy is applied to emails that fail the DMARC check. Authorized values: none, quarantine, or reject. None is used to collect feedback and gain visibility into email streams without impacting existing flows. |
| rua | mailto:dmarc-username@example.com | The list of URIs for receivers to send XML feedback to. |
| ruf | mailto:dmarc-username@example.com | The list of URIs for receivers to send reports to. |
Adding the DMARC record
- Sign in to your Hover control panel using your chosen method of 2FA.
- Click Domains and select your domain.
- Click DNS, followed by Add a record.
- Enter each record in the text field and hit Save.
Note: Replace username@example.com with your email address.Host name Address _dmarc v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:username@example.com; ruf=mailto:username@example.com;fo=1
v=spf1 include:_spf.hostedemail.com ~all
Additional information
- Yahoo - An Update on Enforcing Email Standards
- Google - New Gmail protections for a safer, less spammy inbox
- Dmarcian - Understanding Gmail and Yahoo DMARC Requirements
- DMARC Record Checker
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