Understanding Domain Security Reports: A Practical Guide

Why Domain Security Matters

Your domain is more than just a web address, it represents your brand, credibility, and trust online. If not properly secured, attackers can misuse it for phishing, email spoofing, or spreading malware, which may harm your reputation, cause financial losses, and reduce customer confidence.

Checking your domain’s security configuration helps you:

• Protect customers from fraudulent or malicious emails.
• Ensure reliable and consistent email delivery.
• Strengthen your brand’s reputation.
• Stay compliant with modern security and industry standards.

That’s why it’s important to know how to interpret domain security reports. Below, we’ll walk through the most common terms you will see and explain why they matter.

1. A Records

• What it is: An “A record” links your domain name, for example example.com, to an IP address.
• Why it matters: Without it, users cannot access your website.
• If missing: Your site may become unreachable.

2. NS Records

• What it is: NS stands for Name Server. These records specify which servers control your domain.
• Why it matters: They are the foundation of your DNS infrastructure.
• If missing: The domain may not function at all.

3. SPF (Sender Policy Framework)

• What it is: Defines which mail servers are allowed to send emails on behalf of your domain.
• Why it matters: Helps prevent spammers from sending fake emails pretending to be you.
• If incorrect: Increases risk of phishing and spoofing attacks.

4. DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)

• What it is: Adds a cryptographic signature to emails, ensuring they have not been altered.
• Why it matters: Confirms authenticity and integrity of emails.
• If missing: Recipients cannot verify your emails are legitimate.

5. DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance)

• What it is: Works with SPF and DKIM to tell mail servers how to handle unauthorized messages.
• Why it matters: Protects your brand from phishing and email abuse.

• Policies:
• none: Only monitors, no enforcement.
• quarantine: Suspicious emails go to spam.
• reject: Unauthorized emails are fully blocked.
• Best practice: Start with none, monitor reports, then move to quarantine and reject.

6. MTA-STS (Mail Transfer Agent Strict Transport Security)

• What it is: Ensures that emails use encryption, TLS, during delivery.
• Why it matters: Protects against interception or tampering during transmission.
• If disabled: Emails may travel unencrypted, exposing sensitive data.

7. TLS-RPT (TLS Reporting)

• What it is: A reporting system for encryption and delivery errors.
• Why it matters: Gives you visibility into problems with email security.
• If disabled: You will not know if your domain is suffering from delivery or encryption issues.

8. BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification)

• What it is: Allows companies to display their logo next to authenticated emails.
• Why it matters: Builds trust and improves brand recognition in inboxes.
• If missing: Emails still work, but your brand loses visibility.

9. MX Records

• What it is: MX stands for Mail Exchange. These records tell the internet which mail servers are responsible for receiving emails sent to your domain.
• Why it matters: Without properly configured MX records, your domain cannot receive emails reliably.
• If missing or misconfigured: Incoming emails may bounce, get lost, or be delivered to the wrong server, causing communication failures and potential data loss.

Real-world Example

Imagine this scenario, your company’s domain does not have SPF and DKIM configured correctly. A cybercriminal sends out fake invoices to your customers, pretending to be your company. Since your domain lacks proper protections, these emails are delivered to inboxes as if they were legitimate.

The result?

• Customers pay fraudulent invoices, leading to financial losses.
• Your company’s reputation takes a hit, as clients no longer trust emails from your domain.
• Cleaning up the damage costs far more than implementing proper domain security in the first place.

Conclusion

Every part of your domain’s configuration matters. Weak or missing settings like SPF, DKIM, DMARC, or MTA-STS can leave your domain exposed to attacks.

Understanding these reports helps you:

• Protect your customers.
• Improve deliverability.
• Strengthen trust in your brand.

Securing your domain isn’t optional, it’s essential. Properly configuring SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and related standards not only protects your customers but also safeguards your brand’s credibility.

Make it a habit to check your domain’s security status, and ask for expert help whenever something looks confusing.

Looking for more resources? Explore additional articles on DMARC, domain protection, and cybersecurity best practices on our blog: https://www.nenasal.com/blog/.