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Resolve a DMARC error
This guide helps you address various issues related to setting up and using a DMARC policy with your email system.
DMARC Error or Rejection...
...during forwarding when the original destination address could receive the email (SPF error)
Email forwarding without SRS generating an SPF error
Let's say you've set up email forwarding from your email address "user@example2.com" to your new address "user@yourdomain3.com" without using SRS. When someone sends an email to "user@example2.com", it's automatically redirected to "user@yourdomain3.com". Example:
- sender: john.doe@gmahoo1.com
- initial recipient: user@example2.com
- final destination: user@yourdomain3.com (SPF error)
Illustrated: when John sends an email to "user@example2.com", the email is redirected to "user@yourdomain3.com". However, the mail server of "yourdomain3.com" still sees the email as coming from "john.doe@gmahoo1.com".
In detail: when John sends an email to "user@example2.com", the email is redirected to "user@yourdomain3.com", meaning the sender's envelope address will remain john.doe@gmahoo1.com but the recipient's envelope address will be changed to user@yourdomain3.com.
This will generate an SPF error because the SPF record of the gmahoo1.com domain does not authorize the SMTP servers of example2.com to send emails for its domain.
It's this SPF error that triggers the DMARC rejection.
If you want the forwarding to work without errors, it's necessary for the email provider handling the forwarding to use SRS.
How Redirections Work at Infomaniak
When you receive an email at an Infomaniak address and it's forwarded to another email address, the sender's email address is rewritten to reflect the redirection. Thus, the recipient's mail server sees the email as originating from your own domain.
In summary, using SRS in email forwarding maintains the integrity and security of emails while ensuring that authentication mechanisms like SPF and DKIM remain valid.
...related to incorrect DNS entry
Malformed DMARC Record: If the DMARC record is not properly formatted, it can lead to errors. Make sure tags and values are correctly specified.
Invalid DMARC Policy: Errors can occur if the specified DMARC policy is incorrect. Possible values for the policy are "none", "quarantine", and "reject". Incorrect value can cause issues.
Multiple DMARC Entries: Having more than one DMARC entry in the DNS zone is considered an error.
If you have multiple DMARC records, mail servers may interpret this differently, leading to unpredictable behavior. Fix this by consolidating your DMARC settings into a single entry.
Check your current DMARC entry with dedicated tools like the ones below:
...related to sending that does not comply with SPF and/or DKIM
A DMARC error or rejection related to SPF or DKIM can occur if SPF or DKIM authentication mechanisms are not properly configured or if they are not aligned with the domain's DMARC policy.
This can happen, for example, if you send an email from your Infomaniak email address using another provider's SMTP server. To resolve this issue:
- Check the overall security of the Mail Service
I send an email from my Infomaniak address and receive a "Reject DMARC" error email
To resolve this issue:
- Check the overall security of the Mail Service
- Perform a sending test from the Webmail mail.infomaniak.com and/or check server settings of the email software
I send an email from an external email address (Microsoft, Google, Yahoo, Orange, ...) and Infomaniak rejects my email with a DMARC error
To resolve this issue:
- Check with your email provider if the sends are made according to their configuration recommendation and if necessary, contact the sender's email provider for more information
I want to receive an email in my Infomaniak address but the sender informs me they receive a DMARC error when sending to my address
To resolve this issue:
- In this case, the email was blocked due to a violation of the DMARC policy that the sender has set up on their domain; it's necessary for the sender to contact their email provider or service administrator to inform them of the situation