In association with BeSecureOnline
Although the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) already had a reliable IT infrastructure, the team began noticing occasional issues with spoofed or misdirected e-mails. Some were innocent mistakes caused by similarly named organisations abroad, but others appeared to be deliberate phishing attempts.
“Even one fake e-mail could cause real damage,” Jonathan Flack, senior system administrator said. “Farmers rely on us for accurate and trustworthy data. If a malicious e-mail looked like it came from us, it could easily fool someone into clicking a harmful link or sharing information they shouldn’t.”
The challenge was made more pressing by the size of ICBF’s IT department – just three people supporting around 140 users. The team needed a solution that would offer strong protection while being straightforward to manage day-to-day.
Choosing Sendmarc
After exploring several options, ICBF decided to partner with Sendmarc, a company specialising in protecting organisations from email impersonation through authentication protocols such as SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
“The whole process was seamless,” Jonathan recalled. “Our Sendmarc account manager walked us through every step, from setting up our DNS records to monitoring our email traffic. Within a short time, we had full visibility of everything happening with our email domains.”
Rather than rushing into a full rollout, the ICBF team took a phased approach – securing the primary domain first, then extending protection to smaller or less frequently used domains.
“It was a smart way to do it,” Jonathan said. “We built our defences gradually, which meant there was no disruption to our daily communications.”
It turns out knowing exactly who’s sending email from your domain is just as important. Check your domain for free.
Security meets branding
Beyond protecting against fraud, Sendmarc also helped ICBF improve its professional image through BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification). This feature allows verified organisations to display their official logo beside authenticated e-mails in recipients’ inboxes.
“It might sound like a small touch,” Jonathan said, “but it’s actually quite powerful. When someone sees our logo next to an e-mail, they instantly know it’s legitimate. It builds confidence and makes our communication stand out.”
This simple visual cue has helped strengthen ICBF’s brand recognition, particularly among farmers and partners who receive large volumes of digital correspondence.
Results and impact
Since implementing Sendmarc, ICBF has seen a major reduction in phishing and spoofing attempts. The IT team now has complete visibility over who is attempting to send e-mails on behalf of the organisation – and the system automatically blocks any unauthorised senders.
“It gives us real peace of mind,” Jonathan noted. “At any moment, I can log into the Sendmarc dashboard and see exactly what’s happening. If there’s something suspicious, it’s dealt with immediately. It’s efficient, reliable and doesn’t require constant supervision.”
The data insights provided by Sendmarc have also been valuable for identifying legitimate third party partners who needed to update their own systems to comply with authentication standards. This has improved the entire communication network surrounding ICBF. ICBF knows exactly which cow belongs to which farm.
The value of outsourcing
For a small IT department, outsourcing the complex technical side of e-mail authentication made perfect sense.
“We could have done it ourselves,” Jonathan admitted, “but it would have taken a lot of time and extra resources. Sendmarc handles the heavy lifting for us. It’s cost-effective, user-friendly and their support team is fantastic. Compared to bringing in consultants or managing it manually, it’s a far better use of our time.”
Looking ahead
ICBF’s partnership with Sendmarc has not only improved cyber security – it has also strengthened the organisation’s relationship with the farming community. Every e-mail sent now carries a mark of trust, backed by secure authentication and visible branding.
“People don’t usually think about email security until something goes wrong,” Jonathan reflected. “Now, we don’t have to worry about that. Our e-mails are secure, our reputation is protected, and our farmers can trust that every message they receive from us is genuine.”
Key takeaways
- Industry: Agriculture and animal breeding
- Organisation Size: 140 staff, over 100,000 farmer contacts
- Challenge: Phishing and spoofed emails undermining trust
- Solution: Sendmarc’s SPF, DKIM and DMARC authentication, plus BIMI branding
Results
- Significant reduction in phishing attempts
- Stronger brand visibility and trust
- Complete visibility and control of all e-mail activity
- Simple, low-maintenance solution for a small IT team
Final thoughts
For ICBF, securing its email systems wasn’t just about technology – it was about maintaining the trust that underpins Irish agriculture. By partnering with Sendmarc by BeSecureOnline, the federation has safeguarded its digital communications, strengthened its brand and protected the people who depend on its information.
As Jonathan summed it up: “Sendmarc takes the stress out of email security. It works quietly in the background and does exactly what it’s supposed to. For us, it’s been a straightforward, cost-effective and very worthwhile investment.”
Turns out securing your e-mail domain is a lot like dipping cattle – nobody enjoys doing it, it’s over quicker than expected, and you’ll wish you’d done it sooner.
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