Protect a domain that does not use email from impersonation – IT Solver Support

Other people can send fake email that looks like it comes from your domain, even when you do not use the domain for email. You can stop this from the dashboard. The dashboard adds DNS records that tell mail providers to reject all email from the domain.

Before you start

You must be an Owner, IT manager or Web designer of your business in the dashboard.
The domain must not send or receive email. It must have no MX records, and no email service can be set up for it in the dashboard. Do not use this on a domain that you, your website or another service uses to send email.
The domain must be in the dashboard, with its DNS managed by IT Solver. If your DNS is with another provider, do the steps in Change nameservers or move your DNS to IT Solver first.

Protect the domain

Sign in at dashboard.itsolver.net.
Select Domains, then select the domain.
Select the DNS tab.
Go to the Email authentication section.
Select Refresh checks. The dashboard reads the current DNS records for the domain.
Find Protect domain from impersonation, then select the Protect domain from impersonation button.
Your browser asks you to confirm. Select OK.
Make sure that the dashboard shows a message that starts with Protected and the domain name.

The dashboard adds or updates three records:

An SPF record that lists no senders.
A DKIM record that contains no key.
A DMARC record that tells mail providers to reject email that fails these checks.

Each change shows in Record history in the Email authentication section.

If the button does not show

The dashboard shows Protect domain from impersonation only when all of these are true:

The last check found no MX records, and no email service is set up for the domain in the dashboard. If email was set up on the domain before, ask IT Solver.
The domain is not already protected.
The DNS is managed by IT Solver and is live.
Your role lets you change DNS.
Email DNS actions for the domain are not on hold.

If one of these is not true, the Email authentication section often shows the reason. For example: Your role does not permit DNS changes., Switch the nameservers first. The new DNS is not live yet. or Email DNS actions are on hold.

If you see Switch the nameservers first. The new DNS is not live yet., do the steps in Change nameservers or move your DNS to IT Solver.
If you see Email DNS actions are on hold., IT Solver set the hold. Reply on the ticket number shown, or contact IT Solver.

Examples

You get bounce messages for email you did not send

You own a second domain for a website only. You start to get bounce messages for email that you did not send. Someone uses the domain to send fake email.

To fix it: do the steps in Protect the domain. Mail providers then reject the fake email.

The dashboard says the action is only for domains with no MX records

You select Protect domain from impersonation and the dashboard shows This action is only for domains with no MX records. Refresh the audit before applying no-email protection. The latest check found an email service on the domain.

To fix it: select Refresh checks. If the domain uses email, do not protect it this way. Do the steps in Turn on email authentication (SPF, DKIM and DMARC) in the dashboard instead. If the check still finds email and you do not use email on the domain, contact IT Solver.

You want to start using email on a protected domain

You protected a domain last year. Now you want staff email addresses on it. The protection records tell mail providers to reject all email from the domain, so new email from it will bounce.

To fix it: contact IT Solver before you set up email on the domain. For Microsoft 365, the dashboard email setup updates the protection records for you. For Google Workspace, IT Solver must change the records first, or email from the domain will bounce. Then follow Set up business email on your domain.

The section says your role does not permit DNS changes

You have the Billing only role. The Email authentication section shows Your role does not permit DNS changes.

To fix it: ask an Owner or IT manager of your business to do the steps, or to change your role. See What each dashboard role can do.

Still have a problem?

Questions? Email support@itsolver.net or phone 07 3123 6000.