This article explains how to define the email address to which the reply will be sent when a user replies to a SMARTFENSE simulation email, by configuring the Reply-to header.
What is the Reply-to header?
When an end user receives a simulation email, they can choose to reply to it.
The email address to which this reply will be sent is determined by the Reply-to header. From the Reply to section, you can configure the value of this header for SMARTFENSE simulation emails.
SMARTFENSE simulations are always sent from the email account info@livefense.com. To recreate the scenario, the sender the user sees is a spoofing (impersonation) address defined in the scenario.
How to configure the Reply-to header
- From the main menu, go to Settings > Simulations > Reply to.
- Under Reply-to Header Value, select one of the available options (see details below).
- Click Save.
Each option has a help icon that explains, on screen, which address the Reply-to header will have.
Available options
Use info@livefense.com for all the simulations
All SMARTFENSE simulation emails are sent from the account info@livefense.com and have this email address as the value of the Reply-to header.
This means that, if an end user decides to reply to the simulation email they received, their reply will be sent to that address.
Use the email address of the sender of the simulation email
Each SMARTFENSE simulation email has a spoofing address that is different from the original sender info@livefense.com; so, that spoofing email address can be configured as the value of the Reply-to header.
The value will depend on the scenario used. The same email address that the selected scenario has in the Email address field will be used.
What happens when a user replies to a simulation email
The result depends on the configured option:
- Use info@livefense.com for all the simulations: the reply arrives at that account, but it triggers no action and is not reviewed by anyone.
- Use the email address of the sender of the simulation email: the reply is sent to the scenario's spoofing address, so the email bounces.
In both cases, this is the expected behavior and requires no action on your part.
Simulations recreate a real attack. If a user replies to a simulation email, their reply goes to the supposed attacker: it is not the same as reporting it.
💡 Best practices
- Keep in mind that, with the Use info@livefense.com for all the simulations option, all user replies are sent to the same address, regardless of the scenario.
- Keep in mind that, with the Use the email address of the sender of the simulation email option, the reply address changes depending on the scenario used.
- Review this setting together with the Senders section, since both define email addresses for simulations. See the article How to configure the sender of simulation emails.
- Validate the result with a test campaign before launching the campaign to the entire organization.