Emails and IP's

a.username

Hi,

I know that when you are on internet websites and the like, people can see stuff about you such as your ip address.

What about when you send an email. Is it possible for people/websites to see the ip address or anything else about where the email was sent?

Hazzanet

Yes, the header information in the e-mail will allow someone to trace the source.

Here's a header from an MSE e-mail for you to see:

Delivered-To: ????@gmail.com
Received: by 10.141.189.8 with SMTP id r8cs359515rvp;
Thu, 3 Jan 2008 06:27:23 -0800 (PST)
Received: by 10.115.22.1 with SMTP id z1mr15339750wai.33.1199370443702;
Thu, 03 Jan 2008 06:27:23 -0800 (PST)
Return-Path: <????>
Received: from rv-out-0910.google.com (rv-out-0910.google.com [209.85.198.184])
by mx.google.com with ESMTP id v25si27046047wah.14.2008.01.03.06.27.23;
Thu, 03 Jan 2008 06:27:23 -0800 (PST)
Received-SPF: pass (google.com: domain of ???? designates 209.85.198.184 as permitted sender) client-ip=209.85.198.184;
Authentication-Results: mx.google.com; spf=pass (google.com: domain of ???? designates 209.85.198.184 as permitted sender) ????
Received: by rv-out-0910.google.com with SMTP id g11so4351372rvb.56
for <????>; Thu, 03 Jan 2008 06:27:23 -0800 (PST)
Received: by 10.140.192.9 with SMTP id p9mr8099313rvf.103.1199370443127;
Thu, 03 Jan 2008 06:27:23 -0800 (PST)
X-Forwarded-To: ????
X-Forwarded-For: ????
Delivered-To: ????
Received: by 10.141.18.21 with SMTP id v21cs133524rvi;
Thu, 3 Jan 2008 06:27:22 -0800 (PST)
Received: by 10.100.252.16 with SMTP id z16mr32975369anh.36.1199370441755;
Thu, 03 Jan 2008 06:27:21 -0800 (PST)
Return-Path: <????@tip.moneysavingexpert.com>
Received: from tip.moneysavingexpert.com (tip.moneysavingexpert.com [87.117.241.249])
by mx.google.com with SMTP id i3si21235290nfh.28.2008.01.03.06.27.19;
Thu, 03 Jan 2008 06:27:21 -0800 (PST)
Received-SPF: pass (google.com: domain of ????@tip.moneysavingexpert.com designates 87.117.241.249 as permitted sender) client-ip=87.117.241.249;
Authentication-Results: mx.google.com; spf=pass (google.com: domain of ????@tip.moneysavingexpert.com designates 87.117.241.249 as permitted sender) ????@tip.moneysavingexpert.com
From: "Martin's Money Tips" <????>
To: ????
Subject: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Loophole_for_free_BA_European_Flights,_=A3400_off_gy?=
=?ISO-8859-1?Q?ms,_9_quid_hotel_rooms,_find_out_if_you_spend_more?=
=?ISO-8859-1?Q?_than_you_earn,_new_MoneySaving_book_and_more=85?=
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 13:18:58 -0000
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="MIMEBoundary07e72b7609a4ac6676824888dd0f3038"
List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:????@tip.moneysavingexpert.com>
Message-Id: <LYRIS-4625565-25958-2008.01.03-13.19.00--????@tip.moneysavingexpert.com>

Lots of info - I've deleted personal info and replaced it with "????", but you get the idea.

spook

Although if you send from a webmail service your IP address is not usually included in the mail headers.

evilgoose

As above, the short answer is yes. Though when using an ISP your IP address will normally change each time you reconnect to the internet. And also the details can be spoofed.