CHFI Application, Email and Cloud Forensics Practice Question
An investigator is analyzing email headers and notices the following: The 'Received' headers show a path through multiple servers, the 'DKIM-Signature' domain matches the sender domain, and 'X-Originating-IP' is present. Which TWO pieces of information are MOST useful to trace the original sender's IP address? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
EC-Council CHFI often tests the distinction between headers that contain routing information (Received, X-Originating-IP) and those that contain metadata or authentication data (Message-ID, From, DKIM), leading candidates to mistakenly choose headers that are easily forged or unrelated to IP tracing.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The X-Originating-IP header value
The X-Originating-IP header is explicitly added by some mail servers (e.g., Microsoft Exchange) to record the originating IP of the client that submitted the message, making it a direct source for the sender's IP. The last (bottommost) Received header represents the first hop from the sender's mail client or server, as each receiving server prepends its own Received header, so the bottommost one contains the IP of the initial connecting host.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The 'Message-ID' header
Why it's wrong here
Message-ID is a unique identifier, not an IP address.
- ✗
The 'From' header email address
Why it's wrong here
The From address can be forged and does not provide the IP.
- ✗
The DKIM-Signature's 'd=' domain
Why it's wrong here
The domain indicates the signing domain, not the sender's IP.
- ✓
The X-Originating-IP header value
Why this is correct
Some mail servers add this header with the original client IP.
- ✓
The last (bottommost) Received header's IP
Why this is correct
The bottommost Received header typically shows the connection from the original sender's MTA or client.
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About these practice questions
This CHFI question is part of Courseiva's 205-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CHFI practice question is part of Courseiva's free EC-Council certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CHFI exam.