E mail header analysis

Email header analysis is the process of examining the headers of an email message to gather information about the email's origin, routing, and delivery. Email headers contain metadata that provides details about the email, such as the sender's IP address, the recipient's email address, and the email's content. Here are some common elements of an email header:

  1. From: The sender's email address.
  2. To: The recipient's email address.
  3. Subject: The subject line of the email.
  4. Date: The date and time the email was sent.
  5. Message-ID: A unique identifier assigned to the email by the sender's mail server.
  6. Received: A list of mail servers that received the email, along with the date and time of receipt.
  7. Sender: The sender's email address, which may be different from the "From" address.
  8. Reply-To: The email address to which replies should be sent.
  9. Return-Path: The email address to which bounces and errors should be sent.

Here's an example of an email header:

From: John Doe <[email protected]>
To: Jane Smith <[email protected]>
Subject: Test Email
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2022 14:30:00 +0000
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Received: from mail.example.com (mail.example.com [192.0.2.1])
    by mx.example.net (mx.example.net [192.0.2.2]) with SMTP id 1234567890;
    Wed, 12 Jan 2022 14:30:00 +0000
Sender: John Doe <[email protected]>
Reply-To: [email protected]
Return-Path: <[email protected]>

Email header analysis can be used for various purposes, such as:

  1. Tracking email delivery: Analyzing the "Received" headers can help determine whether an email was delivered to the intended recipient's mailbox.
  2. Identifying spam: Analyzing the "From" and "Reply-To" headers can help identify spam emails that may be using fake sender addresses.
  3. Investigating email abuse: Analyzing the "Sender" and "Return-Path" headers can help identify the source of an email that may be used for malicious purposes.
  4. Troubleshooting email issues: Analyzing the "Received" headers can help diagnose issues with email delivery, such as whether an email was blocked by a spam filter or bounced due to a non-existent recipient.

Tools and techniques used for email header analysis include:

  1. Email client software: Most email clients, such as Microsoft Outlook or Mozilla Thunderbird, allow users to view and analyze email headers.
  2. Email header analysis tools: Specialized tools, such as Mail-Header-Analyser or Email Header Analyzer, can be used to analyze email headers and extract relevant information.
  3. Network forensic analysis tools: Tools like Wireshark or Tcpdump can be used to capture and analyze network traffic, including email headers.
  4. Programming languages: Programming languages like Python or Perl can be used to write scripts that parse and analyze email headers.

By analyzing email headers, you can gain valuable insights into the origin, routing, and delivery of an email, which can be useful for a variety of purposes, including troubleshooting, security, and compliance.