S/MIME-protected messages
S/MIME-protected message basics
About signing and encrypting messages
You can digitally sign or encrypt messages to add another level of security to email messages and PIN messages that you send from your BlackBerry® device. Digital signatures are designed to help recipients verify the authenticity and integrity of messages that you send. When you digitally sign a message using your private key, recipients use your public key to verify that the message is from you and that the message has not been changed.
Encryption is designed to keep messages confidential. When you encrypt a message, your device uses the recipient’s public key to encrypt the message. Recipients use their private key to decrypt the message.
To send an encrypted PIN message, you must have a PIN and an email address for the contact in your address book. Your device uses the email address in your address book to locate a PGP® key or certificate for the contact.
Sign or encrypt a message
You can sign or encrypt email messages and PIN messages.
1.When composing a message, change the Encoding field.
2.If necessary, change the Classification field.
Attach a certificate to a message
You can attach a certificate to email messages and PIN messages.
1.When composing a message, press the Menu key.
2.Click Attach Certificates.
3.Highlight a certificate.
4.Press the Menu key.
5.Click Continue.
Download the certificate used to sign or encrypt a message
If a certificate is not included in a received message or is not already stored in the key store on your BlackBerry® device, you can download the certificate.
1.In a message, highlight the encryption indicator or a digital signature indicator.
2.Press the Menu key.
3.Click Fetch Sender’s Certificate.
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