Email protection for universities: Mangosuthu University leads the way

Email protection for universities is no longer optional – it’s essential for security, compliance, and maintaining trust in academic communications. Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT), an academic institution in South Africa, faced growing challenges from spoofing, email impersonation, and delivery failures. These email threats were impacting student communication, staff trust, and external engagement.

By partnering with Askaris Cyber Security and implementing a managed DMARC service from Sendmarc, MUT drastically improved its email security posture and set a benchmark for other institutions in the higher education sector.

Why email protection for universities matters more than ever

Email is still the core channel for communication across campuses, yet it remains one of the most exploited entry points. Spoofing, phishing, and impersonation attacks threaten student and staff safety, damage trust, and disrupt communication. Addressing these email threats in the education sector isn’t just best practice, it’s critical.

In light of this and the challenges it was facing, MUT knew it had to act to secure its email. With support from Askaris Cyber Security and Sendmarc, the university rolled out a DMARC solution that delivered:

• Full enforcement of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
• Complete visibility into email sources, both legitimate and malicious
• Improved email deliverability across major providers (Gmail, Microsoft, etc.)
• Better trust and engagement from internal and external stakeholders

The DMARC rollout: Secure, scalable, and seamless

With strong collaboration between Askaris and MUT’s internal IT team, Sendmarc’s managed DMARC service enabled a smooth deployment that aligned with best practices in email authentication for education. The phased approach allowed MUT to:

1. Monitor and block unauthorized email traffic
2. Avoid disruption to legitimate communication
3. Align security with institutional compliance standards
4. Maintain full visibility through simple dashboards and ongoing reporting

The rollout was completed with minimal disruption and backed by ongoing support and analytics.

Results

• 95% reduction in spoofing and impersonation attacks
• Improved email deliverability across Gmail, Microsoft, and other major inboxes
• Full visibility into third-party services using MUT’s domain
• Strengthened digital trust among students, staff, and external partners