How to understand DMARC reports

I decided it was about time that I sat down and tried to understand these reports, and I think that I now have a better understanding of the reports.

Below, is the current published DMARC record for one of my domains. The record that I originally had (and which had generated this DMARC report) was to provide an aggregate (rua) report, but I have now changed it to provide only a failure (ruf) report:

v=DMARC1; p=reject; ruf=mailto:dmarc@example.com; adkim=r; aspf=r;

Note, that I have used ‘example.com’ as the domain, instead of my actual domain name.

As for the received DMARC report (in XML format) - that was generated based on my original DMARC record - this is broken down into sections, with a real received example of a RUA (Aggregate) report:



Above is the first section of the report, it contains information about the ISP (here it's kddi.com), their email address, etc.

Next up, it’s the report ID:

 


Followed by the date range:



Use https://timestamp.online/ to convert this: For example:

1731881931 = 17/11/2024, 22:18:51

1731904700 = 18/11/2024, 04:38:20

Next is policy published:



Next is the source (as an IP address) of the sender and how many attempts:



A check of the IP address shows the location of the sender as ‘Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria’.

Next is policy evaluated:

This says rejected - DKIM and SPF both failed.

Next, the domain that was the sender:



And finally, the auth results:



This says that both DKIM and SPF have failed, therefore the email was rejected.

As I did not send the email in question myself, the DMARC record has done it's job and rejected the email as not being legitimate - success!

I don't have any recent DMARC failure reports (in TXT format) to compare with the above aggregate report, but I may update this post when one becomes available.

Finally: Just to say, this is not an expert definitive analysis, but just my rudimentary understanding!

What car do you drive?

I drive a 2018 Hyundai i30. It's a 5-door hatchback, economical to run and insure, and suitable as my daily runabout, but also comfortable on longer journeys. I've owned this car for over 3 years now. I used to change my cars regularly every 2 years or so, but now that I'm retired, I'm holding on to them for longer!

In addition to Cruise Control and Bluetooth, the car has air-conditioning, although I don't often get the chance to use it in Manchester! It also seems to have a 'cloaking' device! It's not mentioned in the car manual, and there appears to be no way that I can find to switch it off. It seems to switch itself on automatically, then I have to be on my guard to watch out for other drivers, who have difficulty in seeing my 'invisible' car, frequently causing me to have to brake hard or swerve to avoid them!

My previous cars were: Austin Cambridge, Vauxhall Viva, Austin Mini Van, Ford Cortina, Opel Manta, Hillman Imp, Austin Maxi, Opel Manta (again!), Triumph 2500, Yugo 45, Ford Capri, Ford Capri (again!), Fiat Uno, Fiat Tipo, Citroen BX, Citroen ZX, Citroen ZX (again!), Peugeot 406, Seat Cordoba, Seat Ibiza, Ford Fiesta, (back to!) Seat Ibiza, Hyundai i30, Hyundai i30 (again!), Kia cee'd, (back to!) Seat Ibiza, Seat Leon, (back to!) Seat Ibiza, Vauxhall Astra, and (back to!) Hyundai i30.

Desert Island Discs

Based on the long-running BBC Radio 4 program, I have often thought about what my top ten songs would be, should I ever be fortunate enough to be shipwrecked on a desert island!

On many occasions, I have compiled a list of songs, then decided on many changes, and so have never settled on a definitive collection.

The collection, listed below, may not reflect my current tastes in music, but they are important to me, as they represent various stages in my life, from boy to man!

The songs are listed in alphabetical order, as it has proved impossible for me to decide on the NUMBER ONE!

Artist/Song Title:

Boston/More Than A Feeling
Jimi Hendrix/Voodoo Chile
Robert Johnson/Responsibility
Monte Montgomery/When Will I
Mountain/Theme From An Imaginary Western
Rascal Flatts/Here Comes Goodbye
Raspberries/Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)
Jefferson Starship/Winds Of Change
Walter Trout/Say Goodbye To The Blues
ZZ Top/La Grange

What's your taste in Music?

Texas guitarist, singer and songwriter Monte Montgomery is rated by Guitar One magazine as one of the Top 10 best undiscovered guitarists in America, and has earned praise from both critics and fellow musicians for his stunning and imaginative six-string work as well as his abilities as a singer and a crafter of ear-catching pop-rock songs.

Jonny Lang cut his debut album in Memphis when he was just 15, and, upon its release in 1996, the guitar prodigy from Minneapolis instantly became one of the leading lights of modern blues. I first heard and saw Jonny Lang in the film "Blues Brothers 2000", where he performed the song "634-5789", along with Eddie Floyd, and Wilson Pickett!

I've been a fan of Frank Marino's style of guitar playing for many years. Why this guy is not classed as one of the world's greatest guitar slingers, I'll never know! The RealLIVE! Double-CD set definitely isn't a collection of 3-minute structured pop songs, this is real in your face, free-form jamming! I suggest you check out some of the reviews at the Amazon website!

On a visit to Minneapolis in May 2001, I was most fortunate to be able to see the band in concert at Bunkers. It was a special night in the company of some very special people. I felt like an outsider at first, amongst a crowd that seemed to know every word of every song! In the song Cruisin', Brian sings about "the pretty girls of Minnesota", and I think many of them were in the crowd that evening!

What more can I say . . . that hasn't already been said? Malford and the band are IMHO a CLASS ACT! If you like the Blues Brothers type of music, you will be instantly at home here. Bought this CD from CD Baby whilst on vacation in US. I played this non-stop on my rental car CD player, just perfect driving (pun intended!) music!".

From the mad axeman, guitar superhero, through to the blues and more sophisticated music, Gary Moore has paid his dues! I first remember his contributions to Thin Lizzy, including his sizzling guitar work on "Waiting for an Alibi". I've followed his later incursions into the Blues, to discover what a truly versatile guitar player he is!

The one and only LP by Billy Cox's Nitro Function was released in the early 1970's. Billy had previously played bass guitar for Jimi Hendrix, hence my interest! Now, some 30+ years later, I still continue to be amazed at the inventive and ballsy guitar playing of the Electric Lady, Char Vinnedge.

I saw Bonaroo, as part of the Warner Bros Road Show in the mid-70's, perform in Manchester, and was so impressed with their playing and songwriting skills, that I purchased their excellent album, and wore it out! I recently acquired the album on CD, and renewed happy memories of my youth. It was also a privilege to exchange e-mails with Bobby Winkelman, the Bonaroo singer-guitarist and songwriter!

I bought the album Close Personal Friend by Robert Johnson, when it first came out in 1978, and was blown away by the inventive guitar playing, singing and, of course, the songs! This was at a time I was in to hard rock music! What a pity there's been no follow up.

Robert Johnson, where are you now??

Blind Canadian musician Jeff Healey died in March 2008, aged 41, after a lifelong battle against cancer. Famed for playing his electric guitar flat on his lap, Jeff lost his sight at the age of one after contracting cancer of the retina. He was considered a prodigy and earned numerous Juno and Grammy nominations in the course of his career.

Homes Sweet Homes!

My memories of houses that I once lived in, with the assistance of Google and Bing Maps, photos and an old street map.

House #1



House #1 – This was the first house for my family, I wasn’t born then and anyone else who may have remembered is now long gone. I do have memories, in 1969 the family visited our home town and stayed in this very same house (friends of the owner from the beginning and they still lived there) for 2 weeks. That memory is of having to sleep on a small cramped camp bed in a small cramped kitchen. Oh, and it was in July and it was very HOT! I also remember that ‘Zager and Evans – In the Year 2525’ was being played constantly on the radio!


House #2

House #2 – Our next house, it was I recall on one floor of the building. I remember that the house owner (a Portugese man) and my father liked to go hunting, so I remember going in the cellar and seeing rabbits hung from the ceiling and a wine press. I don’t recall this particular episode, but one night a burglar broke into our apartment (through into MY bedroom) but scarpered quickly after the noise of the breaking in alerted the household!


House #3



House #3 – We moved out of the city into the countryside, and I was then of an age where I was out and about exploring! I recall one winter when the snow was really deep, and my father took me out on a toboggan to get milk from a nearby farm. This was also where our world was turned upside down, when my father died in the house. My mother couldn’t afford to keep the house and, as she couldn’t drive either, a decision was made to move back into an apartment in the city.


House #4



House #4 – As you can see in the photo, the house no longer exists. It was similar to the house on the right of the photo, I recall it being a pale blue colour. My memories here include my sister screaming the house down one day, as she suddenly discovered she was becoming a woman – if you understand my meaning!


House #5



House #5 – We weren’t in House #4 for very long, then we moved back into the countryside, but not as far out as House #3 – we were at least on (or not very far to walk) a bus route – my mother had attempted to learn to drive and bought a Ford Falcon, which on one occasion she managed to get wedged between 2 trees on the driveway! I guess some people never get the hang of learning to drive, and my mother certainly didn’t! Another memory from this house is earwigs, there were LOADS in the cellar, which I found very creepy.

When we lived there, the building didn’t have the Dormer attic extension, and there wasn’t a deck at the side of the house. We did have a deck at the front of the house, with a nice view across the valley, but the decking was old and rickety and was likely soon condemned after we moved out!
At this point, it was decided that the family should move to England, to be back with my mother’s family.


House #6



House #6 – Our first house in England, a small terraced house, with coal fires, and an outside toilet and coal shed (the coal shed was formerly a bomb shelter) which was, in all honesty, a real culture shock for my sister and myself. But of course, still being young we eventually adapted to our new style of life!


House #7



House #7 – After a few years, House #6 was marked for demolition, due to the local council rebuilding of the area. We were moved into a newer terraced house, near our local secondary school, but a bus ride into the local town for shopping, etc.


House #8



House #8 – After another short stay, we upped sticks again. This time to a new-build block of 3-storey flats – we had a flat on the top floor. My main disturbing memory here, I was looking out of the window – at the main road – and a woman waiting to cross the road. She had crossed one side of the road, and was standing on the central reservation, waiting for a gap in the traffic to cross. Then as she started to cross the road, she was hit by a car, and I remember her body flying up in the air, and then landing on the road. I don’t recall whether or not she survived that, but would assume not.


House #9



House #9 – Again, another short stay and we were on the move again, this time to another new build – a terraced house – more central to the town, and multiple choices of bus routes.

My sister got married and moved out, and I lived here with my mother until she passed away, when I then took over the tenancy of the house.

My house is the one with the silver car on the driveway.

Hashtags!

The hashtags are taken from my Mastodon account, and are a rough indication of my interests:

#Cars #Guitars #Music #Manchester #Photography #Computers #Linux #EMail #HTML #Curry #Beer

Hello World!

This isn't my first attempt at blogging - and probably won't be my last!

For now, keep watching the skies!