Understanding Email Spoofing & DMARC
The Email Spoofing Problem
Every day, criminals send millions of fake emails pretending to be from legitimate businesses. They use YOUR domain name to trick your customers, suppliers, and partners into revealing passwords, paying fake invoices, or installing malware. This is called email spoofing.
π Think of it Like Your Home Address
Imagine if anyone could send letters using your home address as the return address. Recipients would think the letters came from you, even though you never sent them. That's exactly what happens with email spoofing - criminals "borrow" your email domain to send fake emails.
DMARC is like a verification system that proves letters actually came from your house. It tells receiving mail servers: "If an email claims to be from us but doesn't have our special seal, reject it!"
What is DMARC?
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) is an email authentication protocol that protects your domain from unauthorised use. It works alongside two other protocols:
The Three Pillars of Email Authentication
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework) - Lists which servers are allowed to send email for your domain
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) - Adds a digital signature to prove emails haven't been tampered with
- DMARC - Tells receiving servers what to do with emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks
Why Your Business Needs DMARC
Without DMARC, You Risk:
- Brand Damage - Customers lose trust when they receive scam emails from "your" domain
- Financial Loss - Suppliers pay fraudulent invoices sent from spoofed emails
- Legal Issues - POPIA requires appropriate security measures
- Email Deliverability Problems - Your legitimate emails may be marked as spam
- No Visibility - You don't know who's sending email using your domain
With DMARC, You Get:
- Domain Protection - Stop criminals from spoofing your email domain
- Improved Deliverability - Your legitimate emails reach the inbox
- Visibility - See all email sent using your domain
- Compliance - Meet POPIA email security requirements
- Customer Trust - Protect your brand reputation
How DMARC Works
π The Email Authentication Process
When someone sends an email claiming to be from your domain:
- SPF Check - "Is this email coming from an authorised server?"
- DKIM Check - "Does this email have a valid digital signature?"
- DMARC Check - "Do the SPF/DKIM results align with the domain?"
- Policy Action - "What should we do if it fails?" (Monitor/Quarantine/Reject)
The DMARC Implementation Journey
DMARC implementation isn't just flipping a switch. It's a careful process that requires monitoring, analysis, and gradual policy enforcement to ensure legitimate emails aren't blocked.
Collect data without blocking any emails
Identify all legitimate email sources
Start filtering suspicious emails
Block all spoofed emails
- Incorrect setup can block your legitimate emails
- You need to identify ALL your email sending services
- DNS records must be precisely configured
- Ongoing monitoring and adjustments are critical
- One mistake can break your email completely
Introducing BEACON
What is BEACON?
BEACON is a Managed DMARC Service that handles all the technical complexity of DMARC implementation and management. We're not a security platform or email filter - we're DMARC specialists who ensure your domain is properly authenticated and protected from spoofing.
β What We Do
- β’ Configure SPF, DKIM & DMARC records
- β’ Monitor email authentication daily
- β’ Identify legitimate email sources
- β’ Manage DNS records for you
- β’ Provide compliance reporting
- β’ Adjust policies as needed
- β’ Handle technical complexity
β What We Don't Do
- β’ Email security platform
- β’ Virus/malware scanning
- β’ Spam filtering
- β’ Email content filtering
- β’ Inbox management
- β’ Email hosting
- β’ Threat detection (beyond DMARC)
How BEACON Works
Domain audit & DNS setup
SPF & DKIM setup
DMARC policy activation
Monitor & optimise
Simple, Transparent Pricing
Choose between monthly billing (6-month minimum) or annual prepaid (save 16.5-20%)
(R1,440/year)
- β’ 1 Domain
- β’ 10K emails/mo
- β’ Weekly reports
- β’ Email support
- β’ DNS management
(R2,998/year)
- β’ 3 Domains
- β’ 20K emails/mo
- β’ Priority support
- β’ Advanced analytics
- β’ Phone support
(R4,788/year)
- β’ 5 Domains
- β’ 50K emails/mo
- β’ Dedicated manager
- β’ Custom reporting
- β’ Priority DNS
- β’ 10+ Domains
- β’ Unlimited emails
- β’ Custom SLA
- β’ API access
- β’ Dedicated support
Monthly billing available at R150/R299/R499/R799 respectively (6-month minimum commitment)
Who Needs BEACON?
Law Firms
Protect client confidentiality. Criminals often spoof law firm domains to steal sensitive information or redirect payments.
Medical Practices
POPIA compliance requires appropriate security measures. Protect patient data from domain spoofing attacks.
Accounting Firms
Prevent financial fraud. Spoofed emails requesting payment changes are a major threat to your clients.
Manufacturers
Secure supply chain communications. Prevent order fraud and protect supplier relationships.
Professional Services
Maintain trust and reputation. Your email domain is your digital identity - protect it.
SMBs (10-100 employees)
Enterprise-grade protection at SMB pricing. No IT department required.
Success Metrics
Why Choose BEACON?
π οΈ Fully Managed Service
We handle everything - DNS configuration, monitoring, policy adjustments. You don't need any technical knowledge.
πΏπ¦ Local Support
Cape Town based team available during SA business hours. We understand POPIA and local requirements.
π° Affordable Pricing
Starting at just R120/month - making DMARC accessible for every SA business.
π Professional Portal
View your authentication statistics, compliance status, and domain activity anytime.