BackDMARC Config Manual - Route53
4 minWhy Do We Need DMARC Records?
DMARC records are essential for email security as they help prevent email spoofing, authenticate emails, and enhance deliverability by verifying that emails genuinely originate from the claimed domain. They enable domain owners to set policies on how receivers should handle emails failing verification, thus bolstering defenses against phishing and scams. DMARC also provides invaluable reports for monitoring and mitigating email-based threats.
What is the DMARC Policy?
The DMARC policy dictates how email receivers should process emails that fail DMARC verification. There are three policy options:
- None: This policy is chosen to monitor authentication results without taking action, often during the setup or testing phase.
- Quarantine: Under this policy, email receivers treat emails failing DMARC verification with suspicion, possibly directing them to the recipient's spam or junk folder.
- Reject: This policy leads email receivers to outright reject emails failing DMARC verification, preventing their delivery to the recipient's inbox.
Selecting and testing the DMARC policy carefully is crucial to avoid legitimate emails being wrongly rejected or marked as spam.
Configuring Your DMARC Record with Route53:
- Log in to your AWS account and navigate to Route53. On the left sidebar, click on "Hosted zones":
- Select the domain you wish to configure:
- Click on Create record
-
Type: TXT
-
Name:
_dmarc -
Value: Enter the DMARC record generated by Rotate
-
TTL: Leave it as Default (300)
- Save your changes. Record updates may take a few minutes to propagate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Email Add-On?
The Email Add-On is a tool designed for Gmail and Outlook that helps you identify and manage malicious emails, including spam, phishing attempts, and malware. It enhances your email security by reporting suspicious emails and managing your personal spam list.
Why are mail rules a security risk?
Mail rules can be exploited to exfiltrate data, hide security alerts, or modify incoming messages. Attackers often use forwarding rules to silently send emails to external accounts or create rules that auto-delete security notifications, making it harder to detect compromises.
Why is email security important?
Email is a common attack vector for phishing, spoofing, and other cyber threats. Properly configured DMARC, DKIM, and SPF records help prevent unauthorized parties from sending emails on behalf of your domain, protecting your organization from email-based attacks.
What actions can I take on a malicious email?
When a malicious email is detected, you can take the following actions:
- Block the email to remove it from the user’s inbox.
- Release the email after it’s been blocked, putting it back in the inbox.
Can I deactivate Rotate Mail Scanning on a specific mailbox?
Yes, you can exclude specific mailboxes from Rotate Mail Scanning. This can be configured in the Configurations tab in the Email Hub under the Users and choose the users to exclude.
What does Email Threats mean?
- Phishing: A type of cyberattack where attackers impersonate legitimate organizations via email or websites to steal sensitive information like passwords or credit card numbers.
- Financial Fraud: Illegally obtaining money or assets through deceptive means, such as credit card fraud, investment scams, or identity theft.
- BEC (Business Email Compromise): A type of cybercrime where attackers impersonate company executives or employees to trick others into transferring money or sensitive information, often through email.
- Malware: Malicious software designed to harm, exploit, or otherwise compromise the data or functionality of a computer, network, or device. Examples include viruses, trojans, and ransomware.
- Spam: Unsolicited and often irrelevant or inappropriate messages, typically sent in bulk, usually through email. Often used for advertising or spreading malicious content.