I work in IT and have a user who keeps complaining that a specific sender's emails are always getting quarantined. I've been hesitant to whitelist this sender for several reasons. First, their DMARC checks are failing, they have no DKIM, and the SPF is also failing, which strongly indicates that they might be spoofing their email. It's our policy not to whitelist any email addresses or domains to maintain our security protocols.
Given the circumstances, should I continue to refuse the whitelist request? Or should I provide my user with guidance on how to notify the sender's IT department to fix the issue? It seems likely that other recipients are also facing the same problem.
4 Answers
Stick to your guns! As the IT guy, your priority should be the safety of your company. If they want to risk security by whitelisting a potentially unsafe sender, that’s their call. Just keep providing them the information they need to help their own situation, but don’t let them pressure you into compromising on security.
Exactly right! It’s about assessing risk and making sure everyone’s on the same page.
Honestly, you're not the one at fault here. I often just reach out directly to the sender's IT team when there's an issue like this. We don't do whitelisting either because it compromises our security protocols. It's way better to encourage the sender to get their email setup fixed. Plus, after a couple of instances, they usually catch on and resolve it pretty quickly!
Exactly, and if they don’t respond, it just reinforces that you’re protecting your company.
Absolutely! If the sender is legitimate, they’ll appreciate a heads-up and might fix things faster.
NTA here. Whitelisting could mean you're bypassing important security measures. If they can't get their email set up properly, that’s on them. I had a similar situation, and sticking to your policy will keep your company safe in the long run. Just keep stressing to your user that security trumps convenience!
Preach! Security is not something to compromise on for others' negligence.
Couldn't have said it better! Most businesses need to step up their email game.
If you have contact details for their IT, I usually drop them a line to inform them about their email failures. It’s a professional courtesy, and they might appreciate it. If not, then at least you’ve done your part! Just let your user know it's not your fault and they need to assist their vendor.
That's the best approach—highlighting that the issue lies with them often gets the ball rolling.
Yes! Give them the contact info and let them manage their own email issues.
Exactly! It’s about keeping your environment safe and secure.