How to Set Up DMARC on cPanel

Email is an essential aspect of personal as well as professional connections. However, the development of various cyber threats has made it necessary to protect your domain from email spoofing, phishing, and other harmful actions. DMARC stands for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance and is a powerful technology that can assist in protecting your domain’s reputation and ensure that your emails are sent to their intended recipients.

In this post, we will cover the process of setup DMARC cPanel account. We will explore the basics of DMARC and it is benefits and instructions to implement it effectively.

Understanding DMARC

DMARC stands for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance is an email authentication protocol designed to protect your domain from email spoofing and phishing attacks. It works by verifying the authenticity of emails sent using your domain name. If an email fails DMARC checks the receiving server can take actions like rejecting or quarantining the message.

Benefits of DMARC

The following are the benefits of DMARC record cPanel for email security purposes:

1. DMARC helps prevent email spoofing, phishing, and spam attacks that can damage your reputation and compromise your user’s security.
2. By verifying the authenticity of emails DMARC protects your brand from unauthorized use and helps maintain your credibility.
3. DMARC can improve email deliverability by ensuring that legitimate emails reach your recipients.

Setting Up DMARC on cPanel

Here is a step-by-step breakdown to configure DMARC on cPanel:

Step 1: Create DMARC Record

Access your cPanel with the provided credentials.

Navigate to the “Zone Editor” under the “Domain” section.

Click the “Add Record” button and select “TXT” from the “Type” dropdown.

In the “Name” field, enter “_dmarc”. In the “Value” field, paste the following DMARC record, replacing it with your actual domain name:

v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected]; ruf=mailto:[email protected]

The explanation of record components is given below:

• v=DMARC1: Specifies the DMARC version.
• p=none: Sets the policy to “none,” meaning no action will be taken against failing emails initially. You can later change this to “quarantine” or “reject” to gradually increase the level of protection.
• rua=mailto:[email protected]: Specifies the email address where DMARC aggregate reports will be sent.
• ruf=mailto:[email protected]: Specifies the email address where DMARC forensic reports will be sent.

Step 2: Adjust Policy Settings

Once you have created the DMARC record, you can adjust the policy settings to your desired level of protection.

1. “none”: No action is taken against failing emails. This is a good starting point to monitor your domain’s email traffic and identify potential issues.
2. “quarantine”: Failing emails are placed in the recipient’s spam or junk folder. This helps to isolate potentially malicious emails.
3. “reject”: Failing emails are rejected outright preventing them from reaching the recipient. This is the most aggressive policy and should be implemented carefully to avoid blocking legitimate emails.

Step 3: Monitor DMARC Reports

Regularly check the DMARC reports sent to the specified email addresses. These reports provide valuable insights into the email traffic associated with your domain. The aggregate reports provide a summary of DMARC checks performed on your domain, including the number of emails that passed, failed, and were quarantined or rejected. Similarly, the forensic reports: provide detailed information about individual email messages that failed DMARC checks including the sender’s IP address, email headers, and reasons for failure.

Important Considerations

The following are some important considerations while setting up DMARC on cPanel:

• While DMARC is a powerful tool it works best in connection with SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail). These protocols help to authenticate the sender’s identity and verify the integrity of the email message.
• Consider using DMARC analyzer tools to help you interpret DMARC reports and identify potential issues.
• Follow best practices for email authentication such as using strong passwords and educating your users about email security.

Conclusion

Setting up DMARC policy on your cPanel account you can significantly improve the security of your domain and protect your brand from email based attacks. By following the steps outlined in this guide you can effectively implement DMARC and reap the benefits of enhanced email authentication.

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