How to Simulate Bounce, Complaint, and Reject in AWS SES
Introduction
SES users must maintain Bounce, Complaint, and Reject rates within acceptable thresholds to avoid penalties from AWS. Simulating these scenarios is essential to design effective responses and ensure compliance.
For more details, refer to the official AWS SES documentation.
Prerequisites
Ensure you have completed the following steps before starting:
- Register an email address in your AWS SES.
- Enable Email Feedback Forwarding for the registered email address.
Simulating a Bounce
Use the following command to simulate a bounce:
aws ses send-email --from <YOUR_EMAIL> --to bounce@simulator.amazonses.com --subject test --text test
You will receive an email at the address specified by the --from option, indicating a bounce occurred.
Simulating a Complaint
To simulate a complaint, run this command:
aws ses send-email --from <YOUR_EMAIL> --to complaint@simulator.amazonses.com --subject test --text test
An email indicating a complaint will be sent to the --from address.
Simulating a Reject
To simulate a reject, send an email with an EICAR test file attachment using the following script:
FROM=<YOUR_EMAIL>
MESSAGE='{"Data": "From: $FROM\nTo: $FROM\nSubject: test\nMIME-Version: 1.0\nContent-type: Multipart/Mixed; boundary=\"NextPart\"\n\n--NextPart\nContent-Type: text/plain\n\ntest\n\n--NextPart\nContent-Type: text/plain;\nContent-Disposition: attachment; filename=\"sample.txt\"\n\nX5O!P%@AP[4\\PZX54(P^)7CC)7}$EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE!$H+H*\n\n--NextPart--"}'
MESSAGE=$(echo $MESSAGE | sed "s/\$FROM/$FROM/g")
aws ses send-raw-email --cli-binary-format raw-in-base64-out --raw-message "$MESSAGE"
You will receive a rejection notification email at the FROM address.
Conclusion
Understanding how to simulate bounce, complaint, and reject scenarios in AWS SES is critical for managing email deliverability and compliance. By practicing these simulations, you can proactively monitor and address potential issues, safeguarding your SES account.
Happy Coding! 🚀
