--- title: "Using the right DMARC policy in 2025: A guide | DuoCircle" description: "A practical guide to choosing the right DMARC policy in 2025, none, quarantine, or reject." image: "https://www.duocircle.com/images/og-default.png" canonical: "https://www.duocircle.com/blog/dmarc/using-the-right-dmarc-policy-in-2025-a-guide/" --- Quick Answer DMARC adoption has surged but enforcement has not: most domains publish p=none and stop, leaving the policy as a reporting tool rather than a defense. Choosing the right 2025 policy depends on deployment maturity. p=none on day one builds an inventory of senders through aggregate reports. p=quarantine is the next step once SPF and DKIM are aligned for legitimate sources, optionally combined with pct=25 or pct=50 for staged rollout. p=reject is the destination policy and the only one that prevents spoofing at the receiver; required by Google, Yahoo, and Outlook for high-volume senders. Subdomains use the sp= tag and parked or non-sending domains should publish p=reject immediately. Audit DMARC reports monthly, fix new failing senders within the SLA, and ratchet policy strictness on a defined schedule rather than leaving it open-ended. Using the right DMARC policy in 2025: A guide Your browser does not support the audio element. [ Download episode](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2025/01/Using-the-right-DMARC-policy-in-2025%5F-A-guide-.mp3) Share [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=undefined%2Fblog%2Fdmarc%2Fusing-the-right-dmarc-policy-in-2025-a-guide%2F "Share on LinkedIn") [ ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Using%20the%20right%20DMARC%20policy%20in%202025%3A%20A%20guide&url=undefined%2Fblog%2Fdmarc%2Fusing-the-right-dmarc-policy-in-2025-a-guide%2F "Share on X/Twitter") [ ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=undefined%2Fblog%2Fdmarc%2Fusing-the-right-dmarc-policy-in-2025-a-guide%2F "Share on Facebook") [ ](https://reddit.com/submit?url=undefined%2Fblog%2Fdmarc%2Fusing-the-right-dmarc-policy-in-2025-a-guide%2F&title=Using%20the%20right%20DMARC%20policy%20in%202025%3A%20A%20guide "Share on Reddit") [ ](mailto:?subject=Using%20the%20right%20DMARC%20policy%20in%202025%3A%20A%20guide&body=Check out this article: undefined%2Fblog%2Fdmarc%2Fusing-the-right-dmarc-policy-in-2025-a-guide%2F "Share via Email") ![DMARC policy](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2025/01/dmarc-report-6.jpg) Have you already implemented [DMARC](/resources/what-is-dmarc) but still think there’s a possibility of phishers slipping your **email ecosystem** and sending fraudulent emails on your behalf? Well, this fear will always be there, but it is important to understand that there is a difference between being fearful and being cognizant of the risks out there and **taking strategic actions** to manage those risks. Speaking of taking strategic actions, this is what most organizations fall short of. Lately, there has been a surge in **DMARC deployment**, yet the number of phishing attacks only keeps on rising. But why is that? _This is because even though most of the organizations have implemented DMARC, they fail to enforce the right policy_. For the sake of compliance, they implement DMARC but stop at p=none. But that does nothing to protect their [domain from scammers](https://thehackernews.com/2024/02/8000-subdomains-of-trusted-brands.html). To actually protect your domain, you need to take it a step further by **enforcing stricter policies**. **Let’s face it: it’s 2025**, and it’s no longer just about having DMARC, it’s about using it right to truly protect your emails. In this article, we will understand what is the right DMARC policy for your domain, the one that protects your domain without messing up your [email deliverability](/a-guide-on-email-deliverability). ## What is DMARC policy? DMARC, or Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance is an [email security](/) protocol that protects the domain from any kind of spam, phishing, or fraud. It ensures that only **legitimate senders** can send emails using your domain and provides visibility into who is trying to use it. But all of this is only possible if you have the right DMARC policy in place. By ‘right [DMARC policy](/dmarc/dmarc-policy-guide-for-beginners/),’ we mean a policy that not only **protects your domain** but also ensures that legitimate emails are not mistakenly blocked. There are three DMARC policies that you can enforce, each of which offers a different **level of security** and control over your email domain: [![phishing attacks](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2025/01/smtp-server-mail-7617.jpg)](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2025/01/smtp-server-mail-7617.jpg) ### p=none (Monitoring mode) It monitors email activity but does nothing against unauthorized emails; it just reports who is **sending emails using your domain**. It’s good for gathering insights but doesn’t stop [phishing attacks](https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/email-phishing-surge-bypass/). ### p=quarantine (Spam filtering mode) _With this policy, emails that fail DMARC authentication are sent to the recipient’s spam or junk folder rather than their inbox_. This reduces the chance of getting phishing emails, but because these emails are delivered (although to spam), there is a possibility that unsuspecting **recipients may access them**. ### p=reject (Full protection mode) This is the strictest policy, meaning that any email failing DMARC authentication will be completely blocked from delivery. It provides the **highest level of security** and ensures that fraudulent emails never reach the recipients. ## Why do you need a stronger DMARC policy? You might wonder if it’s okay to simply implement DMARC without enforcing any policy at all. Well, it’s okay only if you want the [cyber attackers](https://www.securityweek.com/rhode-islanders-data-was-leaked-from-a-cyberattack-on-state-health-benefits-website/) to keep exploiting your domain without any hassle. But if you do want to **secure your email communication** and [protect your brand’s reputation](https://www.business.com/articles/protect-brand-reputation/), you must go beyond simply implementing it; that is, don’t stop at ‘p=none.’ Here’s why we say that: ### p=none offers no real protection Truth be told, p=none does absolutely nothing other than monitor your email activity. So, if you have set your DMARC policy to ‘none,’ you can forget about getting any **protection against phishing** or [spoofing attacks](https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/100637-selfie-spoofing-scams-are-growing-in-popularity). _Since this is a weak policy, you can also expect these attackers to target your domain more frequently and send phishing emails to unsuspecting recipients_. [![Phishing Emails](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2025/01/email-smtp-service-5.jpg)](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2025/01/email-smtp-service-5.jpg) ### Prevent email-based attacks with stronger DMARC policies A weak policy allows an attacker to send spoofed emails from your domain, but p=quarantine and p=reject can help prevent this: - _p=quarantine moves suspicious emails to the spam folder, thus preventing phishing_. - p=reject completely blocks unauthenticated emails that will ensure [fraudulent messages](https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/us-phone-hack-text-message-safety-1.7404286) cannot reach their **targeted destination**. The stricter your DMARC policy, the better you can **p=quarantine and p=reject** from abuse. ### Improved email deliverability and trust Having a strong DMARC policy will help improve your domain’s reputation. In this way, email providers such as **Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo** are more likely to deliver your emails to the inbox instead of [spam folders](https://cybernews.com/news/microsofts-breach-notification-emails-end-up-in-spam-folder/). A weak DMARC policy may make your emails suspicious, thereby reducing your email deliverability. ### Seamless compliance Nowadays, most industries require stringent [email authentication](/resources/email-authentication) within their **cybersecurity policies**. A weak DMARC policy can expose you to failing compliance checks, and this may jeopardize business partnerships and security certifications. ## What do Google and Yahoo expect in 2025? One thing’s clear: major [email service providers](https://www.icontact.com/define/email-service-provider/) like **Google and Yahoo** want you to do more than just the bare minimum, **configuring DMARC** to p=none. It is 2025, and they realize that mere monitoring of email activity without doing anything is not enough to prevent phishing and [email spoofing](https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-49857948). That is why they require stricter DMARC enforcement and expect organizations to move beyond **p=none to p=quarantine or p=reject** to actively block [unauthorized emails](https://news.trendmicro.com/2023/12/05/unauthorized-log-in-attempt-notification-email/). If you don’t, you may **encounter deliverability** problems such as your emails not reaching the recipient’s inbox, landing in the spam folder, or even being rejected in the [worst-case scenario](https://www.darkreading.com/cybersecurity-operations/7-ways-to-avoid-worst-case-cyber-scenarios). _We’re certain that this is the last thing you or anybody would want for their domain_. That is why taking action now is crucial. By taking action, we don’t mean to say that you jump from **p=none to p=reject directly**. Instead, it’s recommended that you follow a gradual, strategic approach wherein you move from p=none to p=quarantine first, which helps you monitor the impact of stricter enforcement while minimizing the [risk of legitimate emails](https://hackread.com/paypal-phishing-scam-exploits-ms365-genuine-emails/) being incorrectly flagged, and then finally enforce p=reject, which completely blocks the fraudulent emails from being delivered. If you haven’t started this transition yet, now is the time to act before these stricter requirements become an obstacle to your [email communication](https://www.tidio.com/blog/email-communication/). [Contact us](/contact) today to get started with your **DMARC enforcement journey**! ## Topics cyber securityDMARCemail securitySecurity ![Brad Slavin](https://media.mailhop.org/dmarcreport/images/team/brad-slavin.jpg) Brad Slavin General Manager General Manager at DuoCircle. Product strategy and commercial lead across the email security portfolio. ## Secure your email infrastructure Protect, authenticate, and deliver. Contact our team to find the right solution. [Contact Sales](/contact/) [Explore Products](/products/) Share this article [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.duocircle.com%2Fblog%2Fdmarc%2Fusing-the-right-dmarc-policy-in-2025-a-guide%2F) [ ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Using%20the%20right%20DMARC%20policy%20in%202025%3A%20A%20guide&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.duocircle.com%2Fblog%2Fdmarc%2Fusing-the-right-dmarc-policy-in-2025-a-guide%2F) [ ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.duocircle.com%2Fblog%2Fdmarc%2Fusing-the-right-dmarc-policy-in-2025-a-guide%2F) Copy Related Articles - [ ![DMARC is now mandatory](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2026/02/email-smtp-service-5327.jpg) DMARC is now mandatory for Cyber Essentials Mark Certification from CSA DMARC ](/blog/dmarc/dmarc-mandatory-cyber-essentials-mark-certification-csa-new-requirements-update/) - [ ![MFA and DMARC](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2025/04/email-smtp-service-5643.jpg) How to safeguard your online presence with MFA and DMARC? DMARC ](/blog/dmarc/how-to-safeguard-your-online-presence-with-mfa-and-dmarc/) - [ ![Email Authentication](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2025/04/spf-record-tester-4453.jpg) SPF Record Generator: Create Accurate SPF Records for Email Authentication DMARC ](/blog/dmarc/spf-record-generator-create-accurate-spf-records-for-email-authentication/) - [ ![DMARC problems](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2024/10/email-migration-service-8520.jpg) A guide to detecting DMARC problems using the pentesting techniques DMARC ](/blog/dmarc/a-guide-to-detecting-dmarc-problems-using-the-pentesting-techniques/) ## Related Articles [ DMARC 7m DMARC is now mandatory for Cyber Essentials Mark Certification from CSA Feb 20, 2026 ](/blog/dmarc/dmarc-mandatory-cyber-essentials-mark-certification-csa-new-requirements-update/)[ DMARC 6m How to safeguard your online presence with MFA and DMARC? Apr 2, 2025 ](/blog/dmarc/how-to-safeguard-your-online-presence-with-mfa-and-dmarc/)[ DMARC 17m SPF Record Generator: Create Accurate SPF Records for Email Authentication Apr 1, 2025 ](/blog/dmarc/spf-record-generator-create-accurate-spf-records-for-email-authentication/)[ DMARC 6m A guide to detecting DMARC problems using the pentesting techniques Oct 3, 2024 ](/blog/dmarc/a-guide-to-detecting-dmarc-problems-using-the-pentesting-techniques/) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Organization","name":"DuoCircle LLC","url":"https://www.duocircle.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.duocircle.com/images/duocircle-logo.png"},"description":"DuoCircle is a portfolio of specialized email products covering protection, authentication, delivery, and routing. We deliver about 90% of category-leader capability at roughly half the price, backed by experts who own the outcome. 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