To use encryption and digital signature features, the user must have a digital certificateA file issued and verified by a third-party certificate authority that is used in the process of digitally signing or encrypting messages. A certificate is sometimes called a "digital ID" or "digital certificate." - the combination of a user's certificate and public and private encryption key set. Digital certificates, also known as digital IDs, help to keep users' e-mail messages secure by letting them exchange cryptographic messages. Managing digital certificates includes:
Obtaining digital certificates
Importing, exporting, or deleting a certificate from your computer
Installing root certificates
Obtaining digital certificates
You can issue a
self-signed certificateAn identity certificate that is signed by its own creator.
or you can purchase digital certificates from a
certification authority (CA)An entity that issues digital certificates (digital IDs).. For more information about how to obtain a digital certificate from a Certification Authority, visit the
Office Marketplace digital ID page
on the Microsoft Office Web site (office.microsoft.com).
Importing, exporting, or deleting a certificate from the user computer
For more information about how to import, export, or delete digital certificates, see Entourage Help.
Installing root certificates
Entourage uses root certificates, also called anchor certificates, to verify the authenticity of all certificates that derive from it in a chain of trust. Mac OS X comes with a default set of root certificates that are trusted. But users might have to install additional root certificates on their computers in order to verify certificates that are issued by non-standard CAs.
To install a root certificate on the computer, the person installing it must have access to an administrator account. Entourage looks for root certificates in the following locations:
X509 Anchors keychain on Mac OS X
X509 Anchors (not visible by default) and the login keychains on Mac OS X v10.5 (Leopard) and later
Entourage 2008 does not recognize any trust level settings defined for a certificate. The improved Trust Settings in Mac OS X v10.5 (Leopard) allow you to configure different levels of trust. For example, you can configure to Always Trust or Never Trust a certificate. However, Entourage will ignore these settings.
Installing root certificate in Mac OS X
Double-click the .cer file to open the Keychain Access application.
In the Add Certificates dialog box, on the pop-up menu, click X509 Anchors, and then click OK.
If you are asked to provide a name and password, use the administrator credentials.
Click View Certificates to verify the details of the certificate
Quit, and then restart Entourage.
Installing root certificate in Mac OS X v10.5
Double-click the .cer file to open the Keychain Access application.
In the Add Certificates dialog box, on the pop-up menu, click login, and then click OK.
If you are asked to provide a name and password, use the administrator credentials.
Click View Certificates to verify the details of the certificate
Quit, and then restart Entourage.
