How to set up DMARC | Beehosting.pro

Last modified: Friday September 15th, 2023

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cPanel Hosting
How to set up DMARC

In this article

1. Configuring a DMARC TXT record in DNS
- 1.1. Testing the new DMARC DNS record
  - 1.1.1. Microsoft Windows
  - 1.1.2. Linux and Mac OS X
- 1.2. Configuring mailing lists (mailman) for DMARC
2. More Information

This article describes how to configure DMARC TXT records.

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) is an email authentication approach created to mitigate email abuse, such as spam. It extends the capabilities of SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) authentication methods to offer a more dependable means for email senders and receivers to communicate securely.

You have the option to employ cPanel’s DNS Zone Editor for incorporating DMARC configurations into your DNS records. Additionally, cPanel offers the capability to adjust your mailing lists to align with DMARC standards.

Configuring a DMARC TXT record in DNS

To activate DMARC for your domain, you need to insert a TXT record into your domain’s DNS records, which should include the DMARC configuration details. To achieve this, please adhere to the following procedure:

1. Login to cPanel.

2. In the domain section open Zone Editor.

How to set up DMARC zone editor cpanel 1

3. Choose the domain you want to configure, and click Manage.

4. Click the down arrow icon next to Add Record, after that click Add TXT Record.

5. Type _dmarc in the Name text box.

As soon as you move your cursor away from this text box, cPanel automatically adds the domain name to _dmarc, for example, _dmarc.example.com.

6. Type 14400 in the TTL text box.

7. Select TXT in the Type list box.

8. In the Record text box type the DMARC configuration line.

DMARC is not currently a universally standardized protocol, which means that different providers may handle DMARC policies differently. It may be necessary to test various DMARC configurations to determine the one that is most effective for your domain. Below are some sample DMARC configurations as examples:

Activate DMARC in “monitor mode.” When this setup is active, the designated email address (in the “mailto” setting) will receive daily reports from providers detailing the number of received messages and whether they successfully passed policy checks:
```
v=DMARC1;p=none;rua=mailto:[email protected]
```
Instruct the recipient to quarantine all messages (100%) that do not pass policy checks:
```
v=DMARC1;p=quarantine;pct=100;
```
Advise the recipient to decline 50% of all messages that fail policy checks while quarantining the remaining 50%.
```
v=DMARC1;p=reject;pct=50;
```

9. Click Add Record, and cPanel adds the TXT record for DMARC.

Testing the new DMARC DNS record

Once you’ve inserted the DMARC TXT record and allowed some time for DNS propagation, it’s essential to verify that the record is configured correctly. Please follow the relevant steps below according to your computer’s operating system.

Microsoft Windows

For Microsoft Windows users, input the following command in the command prompt:

nslookup

At the nslookup > prompt, type the following commands. Replace example.com with your own domain name:

set type=txt
_dmarc.example.com

You should observe output that resembles the following (the precise text may differ based on your individual settings):

_dmarc.example.com       text =
     "v=DMARC1;p=none;rua=mailto:[email protected]"

Linux and Mac OS X

For Linux or Mac OS X users, enter the following command in the command prompt. Replace “example.com” with your specific domain name:

dig +short txt _dmarc.example.com

You should encounter output similar to the following (the exact text may vary depending on your personal settings):

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

The backslashes are not included in the actual TXT record. They are an escape sequence added by the “dig” command.

Configuring mailing lists (mailman) for DMARC

If you are responsible for managing a mailing list, you might come across issues such as:

Mailing list messages are marked as spam.
Mailing list messages do not reach recipients at all.

To enhance the chances of mailing list messages reaching their intended recipients, you can adjust a mailman setting in cPanel to ensure your list aligns with DMARC requirements for other providers.

Please follow these steps to do this:

1. Log in to cPanel.

2. Open the Mailing Lists tool:

3. Locate the mailing list you want to configure under Current Lists, and then click Manage. The mailman General Options page appears.

4. Locate the Details for from_is_list setting under the General list personality,

5. Most likely, you will need to dispatch some test messages to ascertain the most suitable configuration for your mailing list:

Begin with the “Wrap Message” option, click “Submit Your Changes,” and proceed to send a few test messages.
If the recipient rejects the messages or they are classified as spam, experiment with the “Munge From” option, and afterward, click “Submit Your Changes.”

The Wrap Message option wraps the message with a From: header indicating the mailing list (not the actual poster).

The Munge From option rewrites the From: header by replacing the poster’s address with the mailing list’s address.