DMARC becomes non-negotiable for South African businesses
Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) is becoming non-negotiable for South African businesses as major global email providers move to tighten authentication requirements. IPT, a managed IT services and cybersecurity provider, is urging local organisations to act now to protect email deliverability, prevent domain spoofing, and strengthen customer trust.
“DMARC is the ultimate digital bouncer,” says Jones Mayekiso, Technical Solutions Engineer at IPT. “It builds on SPF and DKIM to give organisations full control over how failed emails are handled, whether to deliver, quarantine, or reject them.”
Mayekiso references IPT’s recent YouTube tutorial on SPF, DKIM & DMARC, explaining how a correctly implemented DMARC policy grants visibility into potential abuse and unauthorised senders. This aligns with IPT’s blog DMARC: Your Business’s Digital Bouncer; Why You Can’t Afford to Ignore It, which guides organisations through setting up SPF and DKIM before enforcing DMARC policies that quarantine or reject unauthenticated emails.
Email service giants have already moved from recommendations to enforcement. Google and Yahoo began requiring DMARC for bulk senders in February last year, defining bulk senders as anyone sending more than 5,000 emails per day. Microsoft followed suit on 5 May this year with Outlook now actively filtering non-compliant emails into Junk folders, with full rejection expected to follow as enforcement ramps up.
The consequences of ignoring DMARC are becoming severe. Unauthenticated emails may land in spam or be blocked entirely. This puts vital customer communications and marketing at risk. Default denial of delivery may damage brand reputation and hinder trust.
Beyond meeting policy, authenticated domains enjoy better email deliverability and inbox placement. Providers like Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook actively reward domains with proper SPF, DKIM, and DMARC setups.
“Simply enabling DMARC is no longer enough. Businesses must move beyond basic monitoring and start actively blocking unauthenticated emails to fully comply with the new rules,” says Mayekiso.
DMARC also guards against domain hijacking and business email compromise (BEC), critical for local enterprises and regulators. IPT’s blog emphasises how this architecture supports both security and compliance for heavily regulated industries in South Africa.
IPT supports organisations throughout the entire DMARC journey, starting with a comprehensive audit to identify all legitimate email sources and sending domains. The team then assists clients in properly configuring SPF and DKIM records to ensure alignment across authorised systems.
From there, IPT helps businesses implement DMARC policies in stages, allowing for careful monitoring and adjustment before full enforcement is applied. Ongoing reporting and analysis ensure that legitimate messages are protected while malicious traffic is blocked, preserving email deliverability and safeguarding brand reputation.
“This is not just security posturing. It is about preserving customer trust. DMARC keeps your brand out of the phishers’ crosshairs and ensures your emails reach inboxes,” concludes Mayekiso.