Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Importing edited Mbox file from Gmail - Manipulation test

  • 1 cavab
  • 1 has this problem
  • 3 views
  • Last reply by Matt

more options

I am testing the theory behind manipulated emails and what forensic evidence can be obtained.

I notice that when Google Takeout is used to export emails from a Gmail account and are subsequently edited (in this case, the body text), SPF alters from "PASS" to "NONE with IP 0.0.0.0" and DKIM completely disappears in the "Original Message" view, however the headers remain unchanged with the exception of the edits to the body text.

The unedited email indicates SPF as "Pass" and DKIM as "Pass" (first image). This changes in the second image once any alteration is applied to the original email.

Before importing the email via Thunderbird, I delete the original email in Gmail (including the trash) and then load the manipulated email to Thunderbird and subsequently to the Gmail inbox.

Is there an explanation for the change in SPF and disappearance of DKIM to the manipulated email?

I am testing the theory behind manipulated emails and what forensic evidence can be obtained. I notice that when Google Takeout is used to export emails from a Gmail account and are subsequently edited (in this case, the body text), SPF alters from "PASS" to "NONE with IP 0.0.0.0" and DKIM completely disappears in the "Original Message" view, however the headers remain unchanged with the exception of the edits to the body text. The unedited email indicates SPF as "Pass" and DKIM as "Pass" (first image). This changes in the second image once any alteration is applied to the original email. Before importing the email via Thunderbird, I delete the original email in Gmail (including the trash) and then load the manipulated email to Thunderbird and subsequently to the Gmail inbox. Is there an explanation for the change in SPF and disappearance of DKIM to the manipulated email?
Attached screenshots

All Replies (1)

more options

Details on the SPF standard can be found here. https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc7208 and DKIM here https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc6376

Both of these are server side technologies and well beyond the scope of this forum.