DMARC
Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) is an email protocol that authenticates email sources and prevents domain spoofing.
Protect Your Brand and Customers with DMARC Authentication
Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) is an email protocol that authenticates email sources and prevents domain spoofing. By implementing a strong DMARC policy, organisations ensure that only legitimate emails from authorised sources are delivered whilst fraudulent messages are blocked or flagged. Additionally, DMARC provides detailed reports that offer visibility into attempted domain impersonation, enabling proactive threat mitigation.
DMARC verifies that incoming emails align with an organisation’s established authentication policies. If an email fails authentication, it is either rejected or quarantined, preventing it from reaching the recipient’s inbox. This means that emails sent by criminals pretending to represent your brand will not get delivered. Only messages that truly are from your organisation will reach external inboxes.
With strong DMARC in place you will also receive detailed reports identifying unauthorised email activity, allowing you to address vulnerabilities before they are exploited.
Red Helix deliver a DMARC service where we will quickly get you set up and achieve a policy set to p=reject. This will deliver the above benefits to you without you taking on the administrative and technical burden of setting DMARC up and managing it.
Strengthening Supply Chain Security
Research indicates that most companies monitor only 30% of their external connections, which leaves critical gaps in their security posture. Often, Small-to-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are targeted as entry points to larger corporations due to their weaker cyber defences. Implementing DMARC mitigates supply chain vulnerabilities, ensuring that malicious actors cannot exploit these weaker links to infiltrate corporate networks. As cyber security becomes a core part of vendor selection, organisations that prioritise robust security measures will increasingly gain a competitive advantage in securing new contracts.
Brand Protection for PR
In an era where spoofing attacks and other cyber threats are becoming more frequent, businesses must recognise the intersection between an organisation’s IT security and public image. The way a company responds to an attack publicly can have lasting implications for its reputation. Historically, clients and investors were more forgiving of breaches, but expectations have evolved, with stakeholders now demanding robust security measures and transparent communication as an imperative. By aligning IT security with PR strategy, businesses can not only defend against cyber threats but also maintain trust and credibility.
The Business Case for DMARC Implementation
DMARC safeguards brand reputation by preventing cyber criminals from impersonating an organisation in phishing attacks. Beyond brand protection, DMARC enhances email deliverability by ensuring that authenticated emails reach their intended recipients rather than being misclassified as spam. This strengthens communication efficiency and ensures critical business correspondence is delivered.
Another significant advantage of DMARC is its role in fostering customer trust and data security. Organisations that authenticate their email communications reassure customers, employees, and suppliers that their communication is legitimate, reducing the likelihood of phishing-related financial and data losses.
Common forms of attack when DMARC is not in place
Business Email Compromise (BEC) is a method of cyber crime in which attackers impersonate a trusted individual, such as an executive, employee, or vendor, to manipulate an organisation into transferring funds or disclosing sensitive information. BEC scams represent a growing financial threat, with cyber criminals using increasingly advanced deception techniques. In one recent incident, attackers leveraged deepfake technology to impersonate a CFO on a video call, successfully executing a $25 million fraudulent transfer. By deploying DMARC, organisations can significantly reduce the risk of such high-stakes impersonation fraud.
After establishing DMARC, organisations can further enhance email security and brand visibility through Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI). This protocol allows verified brands to display their logos alongside authenticated emails, reinforcing trust and credibility in digital communications.
Ransomware remains a significant and growing cyber threat. In 2024 alone, over 3,600 ransomware attacks were publicly reported, though many go unreported, with SMEs increasingly becoming targets. Due to limited cyber security resources, small and medium-sized enterprises are highly vulnerable, often serving as entry points for cyber criminals to target larger organisations through supply chains.
The financial impact of ransomware can be substantial, depending on factors like the type of data compromised, regulatory fines, lost productivity, and reputational damage. The average ransom demand rose to £4.1 million in early 2024, fuelled by the rise of Ransomware as a Service (RaaS), making ransomware attacks more accessible to hackers with minimal technical skills. The use of RaaS complicates attribution and mitigation, as it separates developers from those executing attacks, creating a resilient network that can easily adapt.
Common vulnerabilities, such as unpatched systems and user behaviour, serve as entry points for attackers, highlighting the importance of strong security measures. In this high-risk environment, effective protection strategies will increasingly outweigh reactive measures like insurance, as these only address the aftermath rather than preventing breaches.
Phishing continues to be one of the most widespread and costly cyber threats, with methods becoming increasingly sophisticated. Cyber criminals are now using commercial phishing toolkits, which often target identity and credential information, accounting for 80% of phishing incidents.
One particularly dangerous technique, known as adversary-in-the-middle (AitM), allows attackers to intercept communications between users and legitimate websites. This bypasses traditional defences like Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR), enabling attackers to capture login credentials and other sensitive data. Emerging phishing methods, such as quishing (QR codes with malware), smishing (SMS-based phishing), and vishing (video call scams), further exploit user trust, especially with sensitive data stored on personal devices.
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