Your Domain Is a Digital Asset
Your domain is the cornerstone of your digital identity. It represents your business in every email, every system login, and every online interaction. When it is misconfigured or neglected, it becomes a liability instead of an asset.
DNS is not a one-time setup. It is a living configuration that must be reviewed and maintained. Many businesses unknowingly leave behind legacy entries, forgotten third-party configurations, or expired services still authorised to act on their behalf. This kind of pollution opens you up to exploitation. Attackers actively look for domains with poor DNS hygiene because it makes impersonation and abuse significantly easier.
Important note: We are not providing DNS samples. A well-configured DNS zone must reflect your actual business infrastructure. Copying generic configurations online is not only unhelpful, it can be dangerous.
Email Is Still the Number One Attack Vector
Despite advances in cybersecurity, email remains the most common path to breach. It is low-effort and high-reward. An attacker does not need to hack a firewall or bypass endpoint protection if they can send an email pretending to be from you.
And they can do exactly that if your DNS records allow it.
You might think, “We haven’t had any problems.” But that is like leaving your doors unlocked and saying you have never been robbed. It is only a matter of time.
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC: What They Do and Why You Need All Three
These are not just buzzwords or tech acronyms. They are critical layers of protection for your email identity.
SPF (Sender Policy Framework)
Specifies which servers are allowed to send email on behalf of your domain. But it has strict limitations:
Only ten DNS lookups are allowed
Forwarded email often breaks SPF
Softfails do not block spoofing
If SPF is misconfigured, attackers can bypass it or make it appear they are sending legitimately.
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)
Digitally signs your email to verify it has not been tampered with. But DKIM alone is not enough:
If your sending systems are misaligned, signatures can fail
DKIM needs to be properly deployed across all systems, not just your mail server
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance)
Brings it all together. DMARC checks whether SPF and DKIM pass, and gives instructions on what to do if they fail. But it only works when configured correctly.
A DMARC policy of p=none means, “Here are my policies, but do nothing if they are violated.”
Why 'p=none' Leaves You Vulnerable
Many organisations implement DMARC with a policy of p=none and think they are protected. This is a critical misunderstanding.
p=none is for monitoring, not enforcement. It lets you collect reports and understand how your domain is being used, but it does not stop abuse.
Attackers know this. They specifically seek out domains using p=none because they can impersonate them without consequence.
Spoofing is not hypothetical.
If your DMARC policy does not include enforcement, such as quarantine or reject, there is nothing stopping someone from impersonating your domain. Within days, your brand could be used to deliver fraudulent invoices, phishing scams, or malware.
Reputational damage and email deliverability issues often follow soon after. And most businesses never realise until someone else reports it.
What an Experienced Domain Security Expert Will Do That a Generic 'IT Professional' Will Not
There are countless articles online explaining how to “set up SPF and DKIM.” Most are oversimplified or dangerously incomplete. Even within the IT industry, not all professionals have the right skill set for domain-level email security.
A web developer might be an expert in front-end design, but that does not qualify them to configure your DNS securely. Likewise, a marketing consultant may know how to send emails, but not how to enforce sender integrity.
An experienced domain security expert will:
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Audit every system that sends mail on your behalf
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Validate and document how your email flows through different providers
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Configure alignment rules correctly across all platforms
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Interpret DMARC reports and recommend enforcement strategies
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Clean up your DNS from deprecated or unknown entries
They do not guess. They assess, validate, test, and monitor.
Common Mistakes That Open the Door to Attackers
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Leaving multiple SPF records in DNS (only one is allowed)
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Using ‘+all’ or failing to terminate with ‘-all’ in SPF
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Keeping deprecated systems like old mail gateways active in DNS
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Incorrect DKIM keys or selectors across platforms
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Failing to set up DMARC reporting addresses
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Not understanding domain alignment rules
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Assuming marketing platforms “just work” without review
We are deliberately not showing a diagram of how attackers exploit these misconfigurations. There is no single method. They adapt to your specific oversights. But the entry point is always the same, public DNS.
If your records are messy, outdated, or insecure, someone will find and abuse them.
The Cost of Getting This Wrong
Misconfigured email security can result in:
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Clients receiving fraudulent invoices that look real
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Staff replying to spoofed internal requests
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Your business being blacklisted, reducing delivery of real email
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Loss of customer trust and damage to brand
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Legal and regulatory exposure depending on data or funds lost
This is not just about stopping spam. It is about safeguarding reputation, continuity, and credibility.
Final Thoughts: If You Do Not Understand It, Someone Else Will Use It Against You
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are not optional. They are foundational.
But they must be configured with intent. And that means assessing your entire digital ecosystem, not just following an online guide.
If your DNS is polluted, or you do not understand which systems are authorised to send on your behalf, then you are running blind.
Seek qualified domain and email security expertise. This is not the space to cut corners.
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