123 Reg DMARC: the bare p=none record, and how to fix it

What we observed

Of 3,214 .uk domains whose email is handled by 123 Reg (detected from their MX records):

• 55.9% publish DMARC at p=none, and 42.5% publish no DMARC.
• Of those with DMARC, 96.5% (1,783 of 1,848) have the same bare record: p=none, no sp=, no rua= reporting address.

A bare p=none record asks receivers to take no action on mail that fakes your domain, and with no reporting address nobody hears about it. Many owners reasonably believe they “have DMARC”.

Source: FaultyPacket overnight UK scan of public DNS, 29 Oct 2026 22:48 – 30 Oct 2026 00:50 GMT (Tranco list ZJ8PG created 28 Oct 2026, .uk names plus the Charity Commission register (OGL v3) website field; mail provider detected from MX). Measured: DMARC and SPF. Percentages are of domains that gave a gradable DNS answer; failed lookups are excluded, never counted as missing. Aggregates only: no domain is named.

We don’t know who set these records, and we are not saying 123 Reg did. Right of reply: if 123 Reg would like to comment or correct anything here, we will publish the response on this page.

Fix it yourself in 123 Reg (free)

1. Log in to the 123 Reg Control Panel.
2. Select Manage All next to Domains, then choose the domain.
3. Select DNS in the navbar. If a TXT record named _dmarc exists, edit it; otherwise click Add New Record.
4. Type: TXT. Name: _dmarc. Value: v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected]. Save.

123 Reg says the records only apply if the domain uses 123 Reg nameservers, and changes can take 24–48 hours. Steps checked against 123 Reg Help (TXT record steps from its SPF article; 123 Reg has no separate DMARC article we could find) on 30 Oct 2026. Panels change; if a menu name differs, follow 123 Reg’s page.

The safe ramp

1. Now: v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected]. Same delivery as today, but you start getting reports of who sends as you.
2. After 2–4 weeks of clean reports (your shop, invoicing, newsletter and contact forms all passing): p=quarantine.
3. After 2–4 more clean weeks: p=reject. Only now do receivers turn away mail that pretends to be you.

Keep exactly one _dmarc TXT record. If one exists, edit it rather than adding a second; two records make receivers ignore DMARC.

If someone else manages your DNS

Send them this:

Hello, please update the TXT record at _dmarc for <your domain> to:
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:<reports inbox>
It's a standard DNS setting in my account; I'm not asking for an added service.
If I can do it myself in the control panel, a link is fine. Thanks.

The £5 Quick-Fix Pack writes this for your exact domain, says who controls your DNS and email, and gives the next ramp step.

Related FaultyPacket guides & tools

• DMARC p=none: what next
• DMARC quarantine vs reject
• Read a DMARC aggregate report

Authorised use: only scan domains you own or are authorised to inspect. Results are point-in-time public DNS observations.