DMARC stands for "Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance." In security and cybersecurity, DMARC is an email authentication and validation protocol used to combat email spoofing, phishing, and fraud. It is designed to help organizations protect their email domains and ensure that emails sent from their domains are legitimate and not fraudulent.

DMARC provides a comprehensive email security framework with two other email authentication technologies, SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail). Here's how DMARC works:

Authentication: DMARC verifies the sender's legitimacy by checking if the email passes SPF and DKIM checks. DKIM uses cryptographic signatures to verify that the content of emails has not been changed. On the other hand, SPF decides if the IP address of the sender is allowed to send emails on behalf of the domain.

Alignment: DMARC ensures that the "From" header domain in the email matches the domain used in SPF and DKIM records. This alignment is crucial for confirming the email's legitimacy.

Policy Enforcement: DMARC enables domain owners to specify how emails that fail authentication checks should be handled. They can set policies to monitor, quarantine, or reject such emails. For example, they can instruct email receivers to send reports on failed authentication attempts (monitoring), place suspect emails in a separate folder for review (quarantine), or outright reject them.

Reporting: DMARC provides detailed feedback reports to domain owners, allowing them to monitor and analyze email traffic and authentication results. These reports include information on successful and failed authentication attempts, which helps organizations identify and address potential security issues.

DMARC is a valuable tool in the fight against email-based threats, including phishing and spoofing, by preventing malicious actors from impersonating legitimate senders. By implementing DMARC, organizations can strengthen the security of their email communication and protect both their reputation and the recipients from falling victim to email scams.

ThreatNG is a comprehensive solution integrating External Attack Surface Management (EASM), Digital Risk Protection (DRP), and Security Ratings, enhancing an organization's DMARC implementation by fortifying its external digital presence. EASM actively identifies and mitigates vulnerabilities and potential email spoofing points, ensuring that DMARC can effectively authenticate legitimate email sources. DRP continuously assesses and provides actionable insights on digital risks, further strengthening DMARC's ability to safeguard against phishing and spoofed emails. Security Ratings offer a holistic view of the organization's external security posture, allowing it to align DMARC policies with internal security measures and reduce the risk of email-based threats, thus promoting a robust email security ecosystem.