Jones Mayekiso | Engineer | Technical Solutions | IPT | mail me |
Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC) is becoming non-negotiable for South African businesses. Major global email providers are tightening authentication requirements.
Our role as a managed IT services and cybersecurity provider is to urge local organisations to act now. By doing so, they protect email deliverability, prevent domain spoofing and strengthen customer trust.
Unpacking DMARC compliance
I often say, “DMARC is the ultimate digital bouncer”. It builds on Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) to give organisations full control over how failed emails are handled. With DMARC, we can decide whether to deliver, quarantine or reject those emails. For this reason, DMARC compliance for businesses is now essential rather than optional.
I also reference our recent YouTube tutorial on SPF, DKIM and DMARC. In it, I explain how a correctly implemented DMARC policy grants visibility into potential abuse and unauthorised senders. This aligns with our blog, DMARC: Your Business’s Digital Bouncer; Why You Can’t Afford to Ignore It. The blog guides organisations through setting up SPF and DKIM first, before enforcing DMARC policies that quarantine or reject unauthenticated emails.
Email service giants have already shifted from recommendations to enforcement. Google and Yahoo began requiring DMARC for bulk senders in February last year. They define bulk senders as anyone sending more than 5,000 emails per day.
Microsoft followed on 5 May this year. Outlook now actively filters non-compliant emails into Junk folders, with full rejection expected to follow as enforcement ramps up.
The consequences of ignoring DMARC are severe
Unauthenticated emails may land in spam or be blocked entirely. This puts vital customer communications and marketing campaigns at risk. Default denial of delivery may also damage brand reputation and hinder trust. DMARC compliance for businesses reduces this risk and protects communication channels.
Beyond meeting policy, authenticated domains enjoy better email deliverability and inbox placement. Providers such as Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook actively reward domains with proper SPF, DKIM and DMARC setups.
I make this point clear: “Simply enabling DMARC is no longer enough. Businesses must move beyond basic monitoring and start actively blocking unauthenticated emails to fully comply with the new rules”.
DMARC also protects against domain hijacking and business email compromise (BEC). These are critical threats for local enterprises and regulators. Our blog highlights how this architecture supports both security and compliance, particularly for heavily regulated industries in South Africa.
DMARC alignment across all authorised systems
Organisations can be supported through the entire DMARC journey. Firstly, a comprehensive audit is performed to identify all legitimate email sources and sending domains. After that, clients can be helped to properly configure SPF and DKIM records. This ensures alignment across all authorised systems.
From there, businesses can be guided in implementing DMARC policies in stages. This approach allows careful monitoring and adjustments before full enforcement is applied. Ongoing reporting and analysis then ensure that legitimate messages are protected while malicious traffic is blocked. In this way, email deliverability is preserved and brand reputation safeguarded.
This is not just security posturing. It is about preserving customer trust. DMARC keeps your brand out of the phishers’ crosshairs and ensures your emails reach inboxes. With DMARC compliance for businesses, organisations can remain competitive, trusted, and secure in today’s strict email environment.
