How SPF, DKIM, and DMARC Protect Your Business from Email Spoofing
Email remains one of the most common attack vectors for eCommerce. Whether through phishing, spoofed domains, or business email compromise (BEC), attackers exploit weak or missing email security configurations to impersonate legitimate businesses.
For Shopify merchants and eCommerce brands, even a single spoofed email can lead to stolen credentials, unauthorized access, or a damaged reputation with customers. Fortunately, technologies like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC work together to help stop this — but only when they’re properly configured.
What SPF, DKIM, and DMARC Do
SPF (Sender Policy Framework) allows a domain owner to specify which mail servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of that domain. If a spoofed message is sent from an unauthorized server, the recipient’s mail provider can identify and reject it.
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) adds another layer of protection by attaching a digital signature to outgoing messages. This ensures that the email’s content hasn’t been altered in transit and verifies that it truly came from the claimed domain.
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance) ties SPF and DKIM together by enforcing policies and providing visibility. It allows domain owners to tell mail providers what to do when an email fails authentication checks — for example, quarantine it or reject it entirely. DMARC also enables reporting, so businesses can see who is sending email using their domain and whether those messages are passing authentication.
Together, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC create a multi-layered defense against impersonation and spoofing attempts.
How Attackers Exploit Missing or Misconfigured Records
Without these protections in place, anyone can send an email that appears to come from your domain. To customers or employees, it looks legitimate — even though it was never sent from your mail server.
A missing SPF record means there’s no list of approved senders, so malicious actors can easily forge your “From” address.
A missing DKIM signature means an attacker can modify the content of an email without detection.
And a missing or weak DMARC policy (for example, p=none) allows spoofed emails to pass through filters with little resistance.
The result? Fraudulent invoices, fake order confirmations, or spear-phishing emails that trick recipients into sharing credentials or transferring funds.
Real Example: Preventing Further Damage After a Spoofed Email
A merchant discovered that one of their customers had received a suspicious message — an “order confirmation” claiming to be from their store’s official address. The message included a link to a fake order portal designed to collect customers’ payment details and login credentials.
Upon investigation, the merchant found that their domain was missing both SPF and DMARC records. This meant attackers were able to send fraudulent emails using the merchant’s exact domain name, bypassing spam filters and appearing fully authentic.
This could have been avoided by:
- Configuring an SPF record that listed only legitimate mail servers (Shopify and Google Workspace).
- Adding a DKIM signature for all outgoing mail to ensure message integrity.
- Implementing a DMARC policy set to
p=quarantineinitially, then moved top=rejectonce testing confirmed no false positives. - Monitoring DMARC reports to ensure no unauthorized sources were attempting to send email on behalf of the domain.
Within hours, further spoofed emails were being rejected by recipient servers — effectively stopping the attack and protecting both the brand and its customers.
Why Continuous Monitoring Matters
Email authentication isn’t a “set it and forget it” task. As businesses add new tools and services that send emails (like marketing platforms, CRMs, and ticketing systems), SPF, DKIM, and DMARC configurations must be updated accordingly.
That’s where SecurEcommerce comes in. Our platform continuously monitors your domain’s email security posture, identifying issues such as missing or insecure SPF and DMARC policies.
By detecting these vulnerabilities early, SecurEcommerce helps merchants take proactive steps before attackers can exploit them — keeping their communications secure and their brand reputation protected.
Protect Your Store’s Email Reputation
A single spoofed email can lead to data loss, financial damage, and a loss of customer trust. With SecurEcommerce, you can rest assured that your domain’s email security posture is continuously monitored and any gaps are quickly identified.
Secure your domain. Protect your customers. Prevent the next spoofed email.