‘Foldering’ Covert Email Messaging

The world of intelligence gathering and covert operations is continuously adapting to emerging technologies and inventive methods of communication. Among these is the technique of ‘foldering’, a discrete method that allows two or more parties to exchange information using a shared email account but without ever hitting ‘send’.

The strength of foldering lies in its simplicity and its reliance on the decentralized internet, rather than a specific messaging network that could be potentially compromised or forced by an authority. This method can serve as a highly effective tool for exchanging secret information, provided it’s used with caution and an understanding of its potential vulnerabilities.

Foldering is the practice of drafting an email and saving it in a ‘drafts’ folder, where it can be accessed by any individual who has the account login information. Instead of sending the email, which would create a digital trail that can be tracked and intercepted, the message remains in the drafts folder, ready to be read, modified, and deleted by the other party.

It has its roots in an age-old spycraft, where operatives would leave physical objects or messages at a predetermined location, a technique known as a “dead drop”. In the digital world, the drafts folder becomes the dead drop spot.

          Strengths of Foldering

The advantages of foldering are manifold:

No Transmission

As messages aren’t being sent, there’s no metadata or network traffic associated with an email being transmitted from one server to another. This makes it much harder for third parties to monitor communication patterns.

Decentralized Communication

Foldering relies on the general internet, rather than a specific messaging network. This means even if a particular communication platform is being monitored or has been compromised, foldering can bypass that issue entirely.

Simple and Quick

The only requirement is a shared email account. No specialized software or technical knowledge is needed, making it a universally accessible method of covert communication.

          Enacting Foldering Messaging

Creating an Anonymous Account

Email Account OPSEC

Composing the Message

Accessing the Message

Final Clean-up

          Cautions and Vulnerabilities

Despite its strengths, foldering isn’t foolproof:

Account Compromise

If the email account gets compromised, all previous and ongoing communication becomes accessible to the intruder. The use of strong, unique passwords and regular password changes can mitigate this risk.

Access Pattern

While the messages themselves are hidden, the pattern of account accesses can still be monitored, potentially revealing a covert operation. Accessing the account through various anonymizing services can help avoid this.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Foldering can be seen as a form of evasion from lawful surveillance in certain jurisdictions, and its misuse could have serious legal implications.

In an age where covert communication is increasingly challenging due to sophisticated surveillance technologies, methods such as foldering can provide an effective alternative. However, as a seasoned operative, one must remember that no method is absolutely secure, even with seemingly perfect OPSEC.

A layered approach that combines different communication methods and robust operational security practices is always advisable. The value of the information we protect and the integrity of our operations are the bedrock of our profession.