---
title: "How does DMARC compensate for SPF drawbacks? | DMARC Report"
description: "DMARC (RFC 7489) ties SPF and DKIM together by requiring alignment between the envelope sender and the visible From header."
image: "https://dmarcreport.com/og/blog/how-does-dmarc-compensate-for-spf-drawbacks.png"
canonical: "https://dmarcreport.com/blog/how-does-dmarc-compensate-for-spf-drawbacks/"
---

Quick Answer

DMARC (RFC 7489) ties SPF and DKIM together by requiring alignment between the envelope sender and the visible \`From\` header. According to Google's February 2024 bulk sender requirements, a DMARC policy of at least \`p=none\` is now mandatory for any domain sending 5,000+ messages per day to Gmail users. DMARC Report

Related: [Free DMARC Checker](/tools/dmarc-checker/) ·[How to Create an SPF Record](/tools/spf-record-generator/) ·[SPF Record Format](/blog/spf-format-checker-dos-and-donts-for-email-authentication/) 

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![How does DMARC compensate for SPF drawbacks?](https://media.mailhop.org/dmarcreport/images/2022/04/dmarc-alignment-6379.jpg) 

## Try Our Free DMARC Checker

Validate your DMARC policy, check alignment settings, and verify reporting configuration.

[ Check DMARC Record → ](/tools/dmarc-checker/) 

![Spf validator 7821 150x150](https://media.mailhop.org/dmarcreport/images/2025/02/spf-validator-7821-150x150.jpg) 

> DMARC is the only email authentication protocol that gives you both enforcement and visibility, says Brad Slavin, General Manager of DuoCircle. SPF and DKIM authenticate silently - DMARC tells you what happened and lets you control the outcome. That combination of reporting and policy is why DMARC adoption is accelerating.

DMARC ([RFC 7489](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc7489)) ties SPF and DKIM together by requiring alignment between the envelope sender and the visible `From` header. According to Google’s February 2024 bulk sender requirements, a DMARC policy of at least `p=none` is now mandatory for any domain sending 5,000+ messages per day to Gmail users. DMARC Report

How does DMARC compensate for SPF drawbacks?

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SPF is a DNS-based [email authentication](https://dmarcreport.com/blog/why-email-security-matters-and-how-to-get-it-right/) protocol that allows domain owners to specify which [email servers](https://www.one.com/en/email/what-is-an-email-server) are authorized to send emails on behalf of their domain. When an email is received, the recipient’s server checks the SPF record to verify if the \*\*sending server’s IP address is authorized.

This process ensures that emails sent by unauthorized servers don’t land in the inboxes of the recipients, **protecting them from getting duped**. However, [SPF](https://dmarcreport.com/what-is-spf/) has a few drawbacks, which are compensated by DMARC.

## Key drawbacks of SPF

## 1\. Forwarding issues

When an email is forwarded, the forwarding server’s [IP address](https://www.fortinet.com/resources/cyberglossary/what-is-ip-address) becomes the new sending IP. Since this IP is typically not in the original domain’s SPF record , the SPF check will fail.

## 2\. Display name spoofing

SPF only verifies the [return-path](https://emaillabs.io/en/what-is-return-path/) domain (envelope sender) and does not authenticate the visible ‘From’ address. Attackers can spoof the ‘\*\*From’ address to deceive recipients while still passing SPF checks.

## 3\. No visibility into failed attempts

SPF alone does not provide \*\*domain owners with reports on failed authentication attempts, leaving them unaware of spoofing attempts.

## 4\. Lack of clear policy enforcement

_SPF does not define what action should be taken if an email fails authentication. It only provides a pass or fail result, leaving the handling decision to the recipient’s server_.

## Key ways DMARC compensates for SPF drawbacks

## 1\. Aligning the ‘From’ address

DMARC requires that the domain in the ‘\*\*From’ address aligns with the domain used in SPF or [DKIM](https://dmarcreport.com/what-is-dkim/). This [prevents attackers from spoofing](https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/google/google-now-blocks-spoofed-emails-for-better-phishing-protection/) the visible ‘From’ address while relying on a legitimate return-path domain to pass SPF.

![Dmarc record generator](https://media.mailhop.org/dmarcreport/images/2025/02/dmarc-record-generator-1244.jpg) 

## 2\. Handling forwarded emails

Since forwarded emails often fail SPF checks, DMARC allows the use of DKIM as an alternative authentication method. _If DKIM passes and aligns with the ‘From’ domain, the message can still pass DMARC, even if SPF fails_.

## 3\. Policy enforcement

![How to create dmarc record](https://media.mailhop.org/dmarcreport/images/2025/02/how-to-create-dmarc-record-8546.jpg) 

DMARC lets domain owners specify a policy (none, quarantine, or reject) that tells recipients how to handle emails that fail authentication. This \*\*provides consistent handling of suspicious messages, reducing the likelihood of [spoofed emails](https://www.pcmag.com/news/nsa-warns-of-north-korean-hackers-spoofing-emails-from-legit-domains) reaching inboxes.

## 4\. Reporting and visibility

DMARC generates detailed **aggregate and forensic reports**, giving domain owners insight into how their domain is being used or abused. By reviewing these reports, domain owners or administrators can learn about [illegitimate emails](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/illegitimate-emails-protect-yourself-indigo-it-limited), false positives, and misconfigurations. _If these issues are detected and addressed in an early stage, much damage can be mitigated_.

## Final words

SPF is surely a valuable tool to ensure no ill-intended person sends emails on your behalf and tarnishes your [brand reputation](https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesagencycouncil/2019/12/27/the-importance-of-brand-reputation-20-years-to-build-five-minutes-to-ruin/). However, it’s insufficient on its own. That’s exactly where [DMARC](https://dmarcreport.com/) steps in and conceals its weaknesses by enforcing proper alignment , supporting DKIM as an alternative **authentication mechanism**, providing [policy enforcement](https://www.f5.com/glossary/policy-enforcement), and offering insights through [RUA and RUF reports](https://dmarcreport.com/blog/why-is-rua-important-for-monitoring-email-authentication-issues/).

## Topics

[ dkim ](/tags/dkim/)[ DMARC ](/tags/dmarc/)[ SPF ](/tags/spf/) 

![Vishal Lamba](https://media.mailhop.org/dmarcreport/images/team/vishal-lamba.jpg) 

[ Vishal Lamba ](/authors/vishal-lamba/) 

Content Specialist

Content Specialist at DMARC Report. Writes vendor-specific email authentication guides and troubleshooting walkthroughs.

[LinkedIn Profile →](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vishal-lamba/) 

## Take control of your DMARC reports

Turn raw XML into actionable dashboards. Start free - no credit card required.

[Start Free Trial](https://app.dmarcreport.com/) [Check Your DMARC Record](/tools/dmarc-checker/) 

## Related Articles

[  Foundational 8m  10 Critical Learnings From Verizon’s 2021 DBIR - A DMARCReport Perspective  Nov 25, 2025 ](/blog/10-critical-learnings-from-verizons-2021-dbir-a-dmarcreport-perspective/)[  Foundational 12m  10 DNS Blacklist Insights That Improve Email Security And Deliverability Fast  Nov 14, 2025 ](/blog/10-dns-blacklist-insights-to-improve-email-security-and-deliverability/)[  Foundational 12m  10 Email Spoofing Detection Tools That Dramatically Improve Brand Protection  Nov 11, 2025 ](/blog/10-email-spoofing-detection-tools-that-dramatically-improve-brand-protection/)[  Foundational 12m  10 Reasons SPF Filtering Is Critical For Email Security  Nov 19, 2025 ](/blog/10-reasons-spf-filtering-is-critical-for-email-security/)

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