DELAWARE — EasyDMARC, the cloud-native email security provider, today launched new research into strategies for implementing upgraded email authentication as Google and Yahoo begin to roll out far-reaching changes to their email services. According to EasyDMARC’s research of IT decision makers, a majority of those surveyed would outsource their DMARC implementation, representing a massive opportunity for the MSP and channel reseller community.
Announced in February, the mandate requires “bulk senders” to implement the DMARC protocol to enhance email security. Google and Yahoo are already temporarily rejecting noncompliant emails ahead of enforcement “no earlier than June 2024.” The DMARC protocol uses SPF and DKIM to help verify that an email sender is legitimate, automatically rejecting, quarantining, or reporting on emails that fail checks, reducing the risk of phishing and spoofing attacks. This measure is part of a broader initiative to bolster trust in email communications as cybersecurity threats continue to evolve.
EasyDMARC gathered findings by surveying 1,000 IT decision-makers across the US, UK, Europe, and Oceania to assess their awareness and adoption of email authentication protocols. Key findings of the research include:
- Just 37% of organizations comply with updated email authentication requirements being rolled out by Google and Yahoo.
- Only 28% of IT decision-makers would manually implement the required changes internally.
- 54% of respondents said they’d outsource implementation to an IT provider, consultancy, or specialist service.
The research findings have shed light on the challenges IT decision-makers face in avoiding disruptions to email communications. This presents a significant opportunity for MSPs to assist customers in implementing the technology as they work to comply with the guidelines.
Plans for Implementation
When asked about strategies for implementing email authentication, responses varied among the decision-makers surveyed. Excluding those who had already adopted the technology and had no plans to implement it, over half of the remaining respondents (51%) indicated they would rely on their IT provider or a consultancy to implement the DMARC protocol. Additionally, 15% planned to use a specialist service to handle the technical aspects of implementation. This means that two-thirds (66%) of businesses, when considering implementation, would outsource it, and only 34% would manage the required domain changes internally.
The challenge revealed by the study is that many IT decision-makers lack confidence regarding the deployment of email authentication tools with 40% of IT decision-makers pointing to the complexity of implementation as a major barrier to adoption.
Opportunity for the Channel
Mike Anderson, global channels director, EasyDMARC, responded to the research, stating:
“There is a critical gap in knowledge and resources within organizations, making it difficult to adapt to the standards now required by providers like Google and Yahoo. This situation presents an enormous opportunity for Managed Service Providers to become indispensable allies.
“By offering expertise and implementation services for DMARC and related protocols, MSPs can alleviate these burdens for businesses. Not only does this enable organizations to navigate the complexities of compliance smoothly, but it also opens avenues for MSPs to introduce additional services. As the compliance deadlines continue to pass, and with the majority of businesses poised to seek external support, now is the opportune moment for MSPs to expand their offerings and reinforce their role as vital security partners.”
