DMARC ruf Tag

What Is the DMARC ruf Tag?

The DMARC ruf tag specifies the destination address where forensic (failure) reports are sent when messages fail DMARC authentication.

These reports provide detailed samples of individual emails, including message headers and sometimes snippets of content, that failed SPF or DKIM alignment checks. They help administrators investigate and resolve specific authentication issues or detect potential abuse attempts in real time.

How the ruf Tag Works

The ruf tag appears inside your DMARC DNS record and uses the mailto: URI format to define one or more addresses that should receive forensic reports.

Example:

In this example:

• rua= defines where aggregate reports are sent (daily summaries).
• ruf= defines where forensic reports are sent (real-time failure samples).
• fo= controls the conditions under which those forensic reports are generated.

For security reasons, if the ruf address belongs to a different domain, that external destination must be explicitly authorized by publishing a special DNS record. This ensures sensitive information is only sent to trusted recipients.

Using Forensic Reports Effectively

Forensic reports give a detailed look at specific authentication failures, making them extremely useful for diagnosing spoofing, misconfigurations, and alignment problems.

However, because they can contain portions of the original message, privacy laws and data protection policies should be considered when enabling them. Many organizations use forensic reports selectively, focusing on key domains or high-risk mail streams rather than enabling them globally.

Proper handling, secure storage, and authorization of forensic destinations are essential for maintaining compliance and trust.

DMARC ruf and DMARCeye

DMARCeye helps organizations manage and interpret the data associated with the ruf tag.

Instead of manually reading raw forensic emails, DMARCeye aggregates failure data into clear, actionable dashboards. Administrators can quickly see which senders triggered failures, what caused them, and how to fix authentication or alignment issues.

With DMARCeye’s analysis, teams can respond faster to phishing attempts, uncover misconfigured senders, and strengthen their overall DMARC enforcement posture.