The world of cybersecurity is constantly evolving, and hackers are finding new and creative ways to threaten the safe use of the internet. Among the various techniques used to compromise online security, voice phishing emerges as a scam that is riding on the wave of technological innovation. However, protecting yourself and your business from this malicious activity can feel overwhelming. That's where DMARC comes in to save the day! In this post, we will dive deep into the concept of DMARC and how it empowers one to combat voice phishing effectively.
DMARC Room Table of Contents
What is DMARC?
Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) is an email authentication protocol that aims to help protect against phishing attacks, spoofing, and other malicious email activity. DMARC works by enabling domain owners to instruct email providers on how to handle messages that fail authentication tests on two existing email protocols: Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM).
How does DMARC work?
Protect Your Data Today With a Secure Password Manager. Our Top Password Managers:
DMARC establishes policies that a sender can apply to their domain, instructing recipients on how to handle messages that fail SPF and/or DKIM checks. Some possible actions for non-compliant emails include:
- None: No specific action, but collect and report information related to the email.
- Quarantine: Redirect the email to the recipient's spam or junk folder.
- Reject: Reject the email and don't deliver it to the recipient.
DMARC policies also encourage domain owners to monitor email traffic by creating and receiving DMARC reports. These reports provide valuable insight into email trends, highlight potential vulnerabilities, and show the overall DMARC compliance of the domain.
Benefits of DMARC
By implementing DMARC, businesses can expect several benefits:
- Email security: By verifying the authenticity of emails, organizations reduce the risk of phishing attacks and spoofing attempts by malicious actors.
- Improved deliverability: Legitimate emails are less likely to be flagged as spam or junk, resulting in improved email deliverability rates for the organization.
- Brand protection: Preventing phishing and spoofing attempts helps protect an organization's reputation and safeguards customer trust.
- Increased visibility: Monitoring and analyzing DMARC reports give organizations a clear understanding of potential vulnerabilities, attack patterns, and non-compliant email senders.
DMARC Room Example:
Implementing DMARC for Acme Inc
Acme Inc, an e-commerce company, decides to implement DMARC to protect its customers from voice phishing attacks. The IT department follows these steps, showcasing a practical example of DMARC implementation:
- Acme validates their existing SPF and DKIM records to ensure their configuration is correct for email authentication.
- They create a DMARC record by adding a TXT record to their domain's DNS settings. The record outlines a policy specifying how recipients should treat emails failing authentication checks and report the findings.
- Initially, Acme chooses a 'none' policy to gather DMARC reports without affecting the email flow. The reports provide insights into their email practices and any potential issues.
- Acme identifies unauthorized senders and takes measures to either authorize them or block them, improving overall email security.
- After analyzing the results and confirming the effectiveness of their DMARC setup, they gradually move up the strictness level, upgrading to 'quarantine' and ultimately 'reject.'
- Lastly, the IT department regularly monitors DMARC reports to stay updated about their email security, detect cyber threats, and maintain a strong defense against voice phishing.
With the ever-evolving world of technology, cyber threats like voice phishing have become more sophisticated, compromising the confidentiality and integrity of online information. By utilizing DMARC, businesses and organizations can fortify their email security and significantly mitigate the risk of phishing attacks. If you found this article helpful, we encourage you to share it with colleagues and explore other guides on Voice Phishing to educate yourself on the latest cybersecurity measures.
Protect Your Data Today With a Secure Password Manager. Our Top Password Managers: