#readwise # What Is DMARC Identifier Alignment?  ## Metadata - Author: [[knowledge.ondmarc.redsift.com]] - Full Title: What Is DMARC Identifier Alignment? - URL: https://knowledge.ondmarc.redsift.com/en/articles/1170808-what-is-dmarc-identifier-alignment ## Highlights - On its own SPF validates the MAIL FROM/Return-PATH domain (or the HELO/EHLO hostname if MAIL FROM is empty) and DKIM validates the domain specified in the “d=” field of the DKIM headers. If any of the above validate then that means a PASS. However, **DMARC goes a step further as it does not only require SPF or DKIM to PASS but it also requires at least one of the domains used by SPF or DKIM to align with the domain found in the FROM header**. - **In the case of SPF, identifier alignment means that the MAIL FROM/RETURN-PATH check has to PASS and also the domain portion of the MAIL FROM/RETURN-PATH has to align with the domain found in the FROM address**. In cases where the MAIL-FROM is empty (found with bounces), alignment is checked against the EHLO domain. **==In strict alignment the domains have to match exactly, whereas in relaxed alignment subdomains are also allowed== as long as they come from the same organisational domain.**