There are two ways to send incoming email events to a Lambda function. The first method is to use a Lambda action in your receipt rule to send the event record directly to the function. The second method is to use an Amazon SNS action in your receipt rule to send the event records to Amazon SNS, and then add the Lambda function as a subscribing endpoint to the Amazon SNS topic.
This section contains examples of the event records that Amazon SES can send to Lambda. You can use these examples to create and test Lambda functions.
Note
The examples in this section include line breaks to make them easier to read. If you copy the examples in this section, you should remove the additional line breaks to produce valid JSON objects.
When you add a Lambda action to a receipt rule, Amazon SES sends an event record to Lambda every time it receives an incoming message. This event contains information about several of the email headers for the incoming message, as well as the results of several tests that Amazon SES performs on incoming messages. However, it omits the body of the incoming email.
The following example shows the values that these event records typically contain.
{
"Records": [{
"eventSource": "aws:ses",
"eventVersion": "1.0",
"ses": {
"mail": {
"timestamp": "2019-08-05T21:30:02.028Z",
"source": "prvs=144d0cba7=sender@example.com",
"messageId": "EXAMPLE7c191be45-e9aedb9a-02f9-4d12-a87d-dd0099a07f8a-000000",
"destination": ["recipient@example.com"],
"headersTruncated": false,
"headers": [{
"name": "Return-Path",
"value": "<prvs=144d0cba7=sender@example.com>"
}, {
"name": "Received",
"value": "from smtp.example.com [203.0.113.0]) by inbound-smtp.us-east-1.amazonaws.com
with SMTP id bsvpsoklfhu7u50iur7h0kk9a2ou0r7iexample for recipient@example.com;
Mon, 05 Aug 2019 21:30:02 +0000 (UTC)"
}, {
"name": "X-SES-Spam-Verdict",
"value": "PASS"
}, {
"name": "X-SES-Virus-Verdict",
"value": "PASS"
}, {
"name": "Received-SPF",
"value": "pass (spfCheck: domain of example.com designates 203.0.113.0 as permitted sender)
client-ip=203.0.113.0; envelope-from=prvs=144d0cba42=sender@example.com; helo=
smtp.example.com;"
}, {
"name": "Authentication-Results",
"value": "amazonses.com; spf=pass (spfCheck: domain of example.com designates 203.0.113.0
as permitted sender) client-ip=203.0.113.0; envelope-from=prvs=144d0cba42=
sender@example.com; helo=smtp.example.com; dkim=pass header.i=@example.com;
dmarc=none header.from=example.com;"
}, {
"name": "X-SES-RECEIPT",
"value": "AEFBQUFBQUFBQUFHbFo0VU81VzVuYmRDNm51nhTVWpabDh6J4V2l5cG5PSHFtNzlBeUk90example"
}, {
"name": "X-SES-DKIM-SIGNATURE",
"value": "a=rsa-sha256; q=dns/txt; b=Cm1emU30VcD6example=; c=relaxed/simple; s=6gbrjpgwjs
5zn6fwqknexample; d=amazonses.com; t=1567719002; v=1; bh=DSofsjAoUvyZj6YsBDP5en
pRO1otGb7Nes0Qexample=; h=From:To:Cc:Bcc:Subject:Date:Message-ID:MIME-Version:
Content-Type:X-SES-RECEIPT;"
}, {
"name": "DKIM-Signature",
"value": "v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=example.com; i=@example.com; q=dns/txt;
s=example12345; t=1567719001; x=1599255001; h=from:to:subject:date:message-id:
references:in-reply-to:mime-version; bh=sjAoUvyZj6YsBDP5enpRO1otGb7s0Qexample=;
b=EQw2D4RLOW2IHE9OgfEA4WXp+AENJtaD2+63wmd5J+d+t/xoaiKUGClOS7WhpyOmlipryOz+iOhxU
v350xJIHjLTi9Jsnlw76mRK8o4770TaUz620joCVN21n4cxsrRZpv+1kS0EcAxaF30pmwlni+XT4ems
Vxn7zO0I8example=;"
}, {
"name": "Received",
"value": "from mail.example.com (mail.example.com [203.0.113.0]) by email-inbound-relay-
1d-9ec21598.us-east-1.example.com (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 57F83A2042 for
<recipient@example.com>; Mon, 5 Aug 2019 21:29:58 +0000 (UTC)"
}, {
"name": "From",
"value": "\"Doe, John\" <sender@example.com>"
}, {
"name": "To",
"value": "\"recipient@example.com\" <recipient@example.com>"
}, {
"name": "Subject",
"value": "This is a test"
}, {
"name": "Thread-Topic",
"value": "This is a test"
}, {
"name": "Thread-Index",
"value": "AQHVZDAaQ58yKI8q7kaAjkhC5stGexample"
}, {
"name": "Date",
"value": "Mon, 5 Aug 2019 21:29:57 +0000"
}, {
"name": "Message-ID",
"value": "<F8098FDD-49A3-442D-9935-F6112example@example.com>"
}, {
"name": "References",
"value": "<1FCED16B-F6B0-4506-A6F0-594DFexample@example.com>"
}, {
"name": "In-Reply-To",
"value": "<1FCED16B-F6B0-4506-A6F0-594DFexample@example.com>"
}, {
"name": "Accept-Language",
"value": "en-US"
}, {
"name": "Content-Language",
"value": "en-US"
}, {
"name": "X-MS-Has-Attach",
"value": ""
}, {
"name": "X-MS-TNEF-Correlator",
"value": ""
}, {
"name": "x-ms-exchange-messagesentrepresentingtype",
"value": "1"
}, {
"name": "x-ms-exchange-transport-fromentityheader",
"value": "Hosted"
}, {
"name": "x-originating-ip",
"value": "[203.0.113.0]"
}, {
"name": "Content-Type",
"value": "multipart/alternative; boundary=\"_000_F8098FDD49A344F6112B195BDAexamplecom_\""
}, {
"name": "MIME-Version",
"value": "1.0"
}, {
"name": "Precedence",
"value": "Bulk"
}],
"commonHeaders": {
"returnPath": "prvs=144d0cba7=sender@example.com",
"from": ["\"Doe, John\" <sender@example.com>"],
"date": "Mon, 5 Aug 2019 21:29:57 +0000",
"to": ["\"recipient@example.com\" <recipient@example.com>"],
"messageId": "<F8098FDD-49A3-442D-9935-F6112B195BDA@example.com>",
"subject": "This is a test"
}
},
"receipt": {
"timestamp": "2019-08-05T21:30:02.028Z",
"processingTimeMillis": 1205,
"recipients": ["recipient@example.com"],
"spamVerdict": {
"status": "PASS"
},
"virusVerdict": {
"status": "PASS"
},
"spfVerdict": {
"status": "PASS"
},
"dkimVerdict": {
"status": "PASS"
},
"dmarcVerdict": {
"status": "GRAY"
},
"action": {
"type": "Lambda",
"functionArn": "arn:aws:lambda:us-east-1:123456789012:function:IncomingEmail",
"invocationType": "Event"
}
}
}
}]
}
When you add an Amazon SNS action to your receipt rule, the notification contains the entire contents of the email. If you want to have a Lambda function process the body of the email, you should instead add an Amazon SNS action to the receipt rule. Then, in Amazon SNS, subscribe your Lambda function to the Amazon SNS function. This configuration causes your Lambda function to be activated when it receives a notification from the Amazon SNS topic.
{
'Records': [
{
'EventSource': 'aws:sns',
'EventVersion': '1.0',
'EventSubscriptionArn': 'arn:aws:sns:us-east-1:123456789012:IncomingEmail:12345678',
'Sns': {
'Type': 'Notification',
'MessageId': 'EXAMPLE7c191be45-e9aedb9a-02f9-4d12-a87d-dd0099a07f8a-000000',
'TopicArn': 'arn:aws:sns:us-east-1:123456789012:IncomingEmail',
'Subject': 'Amazon SES Email Receipt Notification',
'Message': <message content—see below>,
'Timestamp': '2019-09-06T18:52:16.076Z',
'SignatureVersion': '1',
'Signature': '012345678901example==',
'SigningCertUrl': 'https://sns.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/SimpleNotificationService
-01234567890123456789012345678901.pem',
'UnsubscribeUrl': 'https://sns.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/?Action=Unsubscribe&
SubscriptionArn=arn:aws:sns:us-east-1:0123456789012:IncomingEmail:
0b863538-3f32-462e-9c89-8d8e0example',
'MessageAttributes': {}
}
}
]
}
The Message attribute contains a JSON-encoded string. This string contains the headers and content of the message. The message body itself is base64 encoded. If you want to use the message body in your Lambda function, you first have to decode the Message attribute, and then decode the Content object.
The following example shows the values that are contained in the Message attribute.
{
"notificationType": "Received",
"mail": {
"timestamp": "2019-09-06T18:52:14.965Z",
"source": "0100016d07eb7477-8e1938ce-475e-4e4b-89cb-example-000000@amazonses.com",
"messageId": "12345678901example",
"destination": ["recipient@example.com"],
"headersTruncated": false,
"headers": [{
"name": "Return-Path",
"value": "<0100016d07eb7477-8e1938ce-475e-4e4b-89cb-example-000000@amazonses.com>"
}, {
"name": "Received",
"value": "from a1-23.smtp-out.amazonses.com (a1-23.smtp-out.amazonses.com [203.0.113.0]) by
inbound-smtp.us-east-1.amazonaws.com with SMTP id
12345678901example for recipient@example.com; Fri, 06 Sep 2019
18:52:14 +0000 (UTC)"
}, {
"name": "X-SES-Spam-Verdict",
"value": "PASS"
}, {
"name": "X-SES-Virus-Verdict",
"value": "PASS"
}, {
"name": "Received-SPF",
"value": "pass (spfCheck: domain of amazonses.com designates 203.0.113.0 as permitted sender)
client-ip=203.0.113.0; envelope-from=0100016d07eb7477-8e1938ce-475e-4e4b-89cb-example
-000000@amazonses.com; helo=a1-23.smtp-out.amazonses.com;"
}, {
"name": "Authentication-Results",
"value": "amazonses.com; spf=pass (spfCheck: domain of amazonses.com designates 203.0.113.0
as permitted sender) client-ip=203.0.113.0; envelope-from=0100016d07eb7477-8e1938ce
-475e-4e4b-89cb-example-000000@amazonses.com; helo=a1-23.smtp-out.amazonses.com;
dkim=pass header.i=@amazonses.com; dmarc=none header.from=example.com;"
}, {
"name": "X-SES-RECEIPT",
"value": "AEFBQUFBQUFBQUFFQkx0QUJZZENEXAMPLE="
}, {
"name": "X-SES-DKIM-SIGNATURE",
"value": "a=rsa-sha256; q=dns/txt; b=d5azwgA2iBqAjA4NBm1ARzjJ95raRmy4G84iVdd3x2JzSHeUnQuTuLmJ
AqRrYY3WpMIVRFy01hITaguCVjUPWBR0xF6fCEXH85cf3RNeFQyLfWZqoXKfBdjFRV+13troDterH2MxBUL
8rjzcvdHetl0ImwlaK2PGmePTexample=; c=relaxed/simple; s=EXAMPLE7c191be45-e9aedb9a-02
f9-4d12-a87d-dd0099a07f8a-000000; d=amazonses.com; t=1567795935; v=1; bh=CZ1SghsYaA
6SSCbitzsLISeFoNlpdtH1Pyiexample=; h=From:To:Cc:Bcc:Subject:Date:Message-ID:MIME-
Version:Content-Type:X-SES-RECEIPT;"
}, {
"name": "DKIM-Signature",
"value": "v=1; a=rsa-sha256; q=dns/txt; c=relaxed/simple; s=EXAMPLE7c191be45-e9aedb9a-02f9-
4d12-a87d-dd0099a07f8a-000000; d=amazonses.com; t=1567795934; h=From:To:Subject:
MIME-Version:Content-Type:Message-ID:Date:Feedback-ID; bh=CZ1SghsYaA6SSCbitzsLISeFo
NlpdtH1Pyiexample=; b=L6VXqR1PSN/FYqJI/VAfPRKFgtakcHCYJvuJqVYbuJT8I3FOhqOvkbcgHxOgs
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rdjkbSIgZEnrvq5MzaMWexample="
}, {
"name": "From",
"value": "sender@example.com"
}, {
"name": "To",
"value": "recipient@example.com"
}, {
"name": "Subject",
"value": "Amazon SES Test"
}, {
"name": "MIME-Version",
"value": "1.0"
}, {
"name": "Content-Type",
"value": "multipart/alternative; boundary=\"----=_Part_869787_396523212.15677example\""
}, {
"name": "Message-ID",
"value": "<0100016d07eb7477-8e1938ce-475e-4e4b-89cb-example-000000@email.amazonses.com>"
}, {
"name": "Date",
"value": "Fri, 6 Sep 2019 18:52:14 +0000"
}, {
"name": "X-SES-Outgoing",
"value": "2019.09.06-203.0.113.0"
}, {
"name": "Feedback-ID",
"value": "1.us-east-1.ZitRoTk0xziun8WEJevt+cSJ17QNuCwulg2D2v3nrT0=:AmazonSES"
}],
"commonHeaders": {
"returnPath": "0100016d07eb7477-8e1938ce-475e-4e4b-89cb-example-000000@amazonses.com",
"from": ["sender@example.com"],
"date": "Fri, 6 Sep 2019 18:52:14 +0000",
"to": ["recipient@example.com"],
"messageId": "<0100016d07eb7477-8e1938ce-475e-4e4b-89cb-example-000000@email.amazonses.com>",
"subject": "Amazon SES Test"
}
},
"receipt": {
"timestamp": "2019-09-06T18:52:14.965Z",
"processingTimeMillis": 1098,
"recipients": ["recipient@example.com"],
"spamVerdict": {
"status": "PASS"
},
"virusVerdict": {
"status": "PASS"
},
"spfVerdict": {
"status": "PASS"
},
"dkimVerdict": {
"status": "GRAY"
},
"dmarcVerdict": {
"status": "GRAY"
},
"action": {
"type": "SNS",
"topicArn": "arn:aws:sns:us-east-1:123456789012:IncomingEmail",
"encoding": "BASE64"
}
},
"content": "UmV0dXJuLVBhdGg6IDwwMTAwMDE2ZDA3ZWI3NDc3LThlMTkzOGNlLTQ3NWUtNGU0Yi04OWNiLWV4YW1wbGUtM
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}