DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) is a way of checking that an email really was sent by the domain it claims to be from. But where does DMARC get its rules from? This is where DMARC policy records come in. Let’s break it down.
What is a DMARC Policy Record?
A DMARC policy record is a set of rules that a domain owner sets up to tell email receivers how to handle emails that claim to be from their domain. These rules are stored in a special place in the DNS (Domain Name System) called a TXT record.
Where is the DMARC Policy Record Stored?
The DMARC policy record is stored in a subdomain named “_dmarc”. For example, if the domain is “example.com”, the DMARC policy record would be stored at “_dmarc.example.com”.
When an email receiver gets an email that claims to be from “example.com”, it would look up the TXT record at “_dmarc.example.com” to find the DMARC policy record.
Why is the DMARC Policy Record Stored in the DNS?
The DNS is a well-established system for storing and looking up information related to domain names. By storing the DMARC policy record in the DNS, DMARC can take advantage of this existing infrastructure instead of having to create a new one.
What if the DMARC Policy Record is Made Up of Several Parts?
Sometimes, a DMARC policy record might be made up of several “character-string” objects. In this case, the email receiver should join these objects together in the order they appear and treat the result as a single string.
Remember, this is a simplified explanation. In reality, DMARC involves a lot of complex processes and technologies. But hopefully, this gives you a basic understanding of what a DMARC policy record is and where it’s stored.
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