What Is DMARC and Why Your Business Needs It
Demystifying DMARC and showing the impact of enforcement on phishing.
// Contents+
DMARC is one of the most important and most overlooked email security standards available to businesses today. Despite being free to implement, the majority of UAE SMEs have either not configured it at all or have it set to the weakest possible setting. Here is what it is, why it matters, and what you need to do.
- 01DMARC tells receiving servers what to do when SPF or DKIM checks fail: nothing, quarantine, or reject.
- 02Rollout has three phases — monitor (p=none) for 2–4 weeks, then quarantine, then reject — most businesses reach full enforcement in 60–90 days.
- 03DMARC reports reveal every server sending email as your domain, often surfacing unauthorised third-party tools.
- 04A growing number of cyber insurance policies now require DMARC as a baseline condition of coverage.
What Does DMARC Stand For?
DMARC stands for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance. It is an email authentication protocol published as a DNS record that works alongside SPF and DKIM to verify that emails claiming to come from your domain are actually sent by you.
How DMARC Works
When someone receives an email from you, their mail server checks three things:
- SPF — Is this email coming from a server authorised to send on behalf of your domain?
- DKIM — Does this email carry a valid cryptographic signature from your domain?
- DMARC — If SPF or DKIM fails, what should the receiving server do?
The DMARC record answers that third question. You choose the policy:
- p=none — Do nothing, just send me reports
- p=quarantine — Send failing emails to spam/junk
- p=reject — Block failing emails entirely
Why DMARC Matters for UAE Businesses
It Stops Domain Impersonation
Without DMARC enforcement (quarantine or reject), anyone can send email pretending to be from your domain. This is how CEO fraud and supplier impersonation attacks work — and they are extremely common in the UAE, particularly in construction, trading, and real estate sectors where large payments are routine.
It Improves Email Deliverability
Gmail, Microsoft, and Yahoo now require DMARC for bulk senders and give preferential treatment to domains with proper authentication. Even for regular business email, having DMARC configured correctly means your emails are less likely to land in spam.
It Gives You Visibility
DMARC reports show you every server that is sending email from your domain — legitimate or not. This visibility alone is valuable: you will often discover third-party systems (accounting software, CRMs, marketing tools) that are sending on your behalf without proper authorisation.
It Is Required for Cyber Insurance
An increasing number of cyber insurance policies in the UAE and globally now require DMARC as a basic condition of coverage. Failure to have it configured could affect a claim.
The Three Phases of DMARC Implementation
Phase 1: Monitor (p=none)
Add a DMARC record with p=none and a reporting address. No email is blocked. You receive daily XML reports showing pass and fail results for all email from your domain. This phase typically runs for 2 to 4 weeks.
Phase 2: Quarantine (p=quarantine)
Once you have reviewed reports and confirmed all legitimate senders are passing, move to p=quarantine. Failing emails go to junk instead of being delivered normally. Monitor for any legitimate email being caught incorrectly.
Phase 3: Reject (p=reject)
The strongest setting. Failing emails are completely rejected by the receiving server. This is the target state for full protection. Most well-configured businesses should reach this within 60 to 90 days of starting.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Skipping straight to reject. If you have undiscovered legitimate senders that are not yet configured correctly, p=reject will block real business email. Always go through the monitor phase first.
Not reading the reports. DMARC is useless if you set it up and never look at the data. Use a tool like MXToolbox, Dmarcian, or EasyDMARC to parse reports into readable dashboards.
Forgetting subdomain coverage. Your DMARC record covers your main domain by default but not subdomains unless you add sp=reject to the record. If you use subdomains for email, check this.
Using ~all in SPF instead of -all. Soft fail (~all) means suspicious email is marked but still delivered. Hard fail (-all) means it is rejected. Use hard fail once you have confirmed all your legitimate senders are in the SPF record.
Frequently asked questions
Is DMARC free to implement?+
Yes. DMARC is a DNS record — there is no licence or subscription required to implement it. The cost is IT time to configure it correctly and monitor the reports. Third-party reporting tools have free tiers that are sufficient for most SMEs.
How long does it take to set up DMARC?+
The DNS record itself takes 5 minutes to add. The monitoring phase takes 2 to 4 weeks. Moving to full enforcement (reject) typically takes 4 to 8 weeks total depending on how many email sending systems you have.
Will DMARC affect email I send through Mailchimp or other marketing tools?+
Only if those tools are not already authenticated for your domain. Most reputable email marketing platforms provide DKIM keys and SPF includes that you add to your DNS. Your DMARC reports will show you exactly which senders need to be configured.
What if I have multiple domains?+
Each domain needs its own DMARC record. If you own domains that you never send email from, add a DMARC record with p=reject on those too — it prevents attackers from using your unused domains for spoofing.
More from our knowledge base
Need help applying this to your business?
Our Dubai-based engineers can audit your setup and recommend the right next steps.