There are many mechanisms to protect ourselves when browsing the Internet. Many programs that help us avoid attacks, tools that encrypt our connection or even extensions for the browser that improve privacy. In this article we are going to talk about DMARC . We will explain how it helps to improve email security and we will also give some tips to avoid problems whenever we use email.
Email attacks are very present
There are many techniques that hackers use to carry out their attacks. They use a wide variety of strategies to steal information, passwords or affect the proper functioning of equipment. But if there is something that they use very frequently, it is email .
Today it is not uncommon for users to use more than one email address. They can use one for work and one for personal use, for example. It is a means of communication widely used both at the business level and by home users. Cybercriminals know that and set their sights here.
All this makes it necessary to have a good email provider , which is secure and keeps our data safe. We must also mention the importance of the protocols they use and the defense mechanisms. That’s where DMARC comes in. We will explain what it is and how it helps to protect security when using email.
What is DMARC
DMARC stands for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance . In Spanish we could translate it as Message Authentication Based on Domains, Reports and Compliance. It is a very useful and important mechanism for email as it allows authentication.
What exactly does this mechanism consist of? It allows those responsible for an email domain to protect it and prevent unauthorized use. Basically it is what we know as e-mail spoofing, which is identity theft and one of the most used techniques to carry out e-mail attacks .
Therefore, the objective of DMARC is to protect email and prevent that domain from being used to carry out attacks that put the security of an organization or individual users at risk. In this way it manages to prevent it from being used to send Phishing, Spam and any other cyber threats.
A mail server acting as a receiver can observe the DMARC DNS entry and authenticate that e-mail based on available information. In case that email has passed the authentication process, it can go through and reach the inbox. It would mean that it is reliable.
It should be noted that DMARC is compatible and works together with other authentication mechanisms, such as SPF and DKIM. An owner of a mail domain could make the information in the DNS records public and be able to be verified by third parties.
Ultimately, the goal of DMARC is to make the use of email safer, more reliable and to prevent your domain from being used by third parties to carry out attacks. It is one more option that is available to avoid problems that put privacy and security at risk.
Tips for protecting e-mail
Beyond the protocols used by the providers we use, the measures they can count on, it is essential to take into account certain recommendations in order to protect e-mail and avoid any type of attack. We are going to give some essential tips for this and thus reduce the impact that we may have when using this means of communication.
Always create strong passwords
Undoubtedly one of the main tips that we can take into account to protect our email, as well as any other application or service that we use, is to always use passwords that are really strong and complex.
It is the main barrier we have to prevent the entry of intruders. It will be very important that these keys have the appropriate requirements to be considered complex and secure. It should contain letters (both uppercase and lowercase), numbers and we also recommend including special symbols.
Do not expose our address publicly
This is also very important. One of the problems with email is the entry of spam . It can be used as a means to sneak malware onto our systems. Now, how do you get our email address? One of the most common ways is through bots that crawl the network for addresses to include in your list.
Therefore, we must not make our e-mail address public when posting a message in a forum or comment on a web page. It could be available for anyone to get to know the address.
Use safe and up-to-date programs
Another important point is to only use programs that are safe and that are correctly updated. We must not use unreliable applications to log into our email account. This could jeopardize our safety.
We must also ensure that those tools we are using are updated correctly. It would be a mistake to use outdated programs, which may have uncorrected vulnerabilities and which would be exploited by hackers to carry out their attacks and affect the proper functioning and security of the devices.
Always have safety programs
In addition to this, another very important factor is to always have security tools . A good antivirus can prevent the entry of malware that compromises the security of email and that of our devices. It is something that we must apply regardless of the type of operating system or what equipment we are using.
Today we can count on many security programs, both free and paid. We are not only talking about antivirus, but also about firewalls or extensions for the browser, for example. In all cases, the objective is to preserve the entry of malicious software that may affect us.
Common sense
But perhaps most important of all is common sense . Much of the cyber attacks that arrive by email require user interaction. For example, we are talking about Phishing, which will require us to download something or log in through a malicious link. It is also common for them to send attachments that are actually malicious.
Therefore, maintaining common sense and avoiding making mistakes will be very important to protect security in email and in the day-to-day use of our devices. It is something that we must keep in mind at all times.
Ultimately, DMARC is a very important mechanism for email security. We have also given some essential tips that we can put into practice and thus avoid problems that affect our security.