Digital Forensic Certification Practice Exam

Which of the following is a free-form header that spammers often use in an attempt to have their email messages read by victims?

1. Subject

2. Priority

3. From

4. Reply-To

The correct answer is: Priority

The correct response identifies the "Priority" header as a free-form header that spammers often utilize to manipulate how their emails are perceived by recipients. Spammers may employ this header to indicate a higher level of urgency or importance, aiming to encourage recipients to open and read their messages without skepticism. By marking a message as "High Priority," spammers create a false sense of urgency that can increase the likelihood of recipients acting on their emails impulsively. In contrast, the other options serve different functions in email communication. The "Subject" line encapsulates the topic of the email but doesn't provide the same level of manipulation as a priority indication. The "From" header specifies the sender, which can potentially be spoofed but is less about emotional appeal. The "Reply-To" header redirects responses to a different address; although it can be utilized in phishing attempts, it does not serve the same deceptive urgency as the priority indicator. Understanding how spammers leverage headers such as "Priority" reveals important tactics in email fraud and manipulation.