Help for Lotus Notes 8 (basic configuration) - Encrypting and digitally signing e-mail messages

SECURING YOUR DATA

Encrypting and digitally signing e-mail messages
You can set IBM® Lotus® Notes® to digitally sign and encrypt all of the e-mail messages you send to other Notes users or to users over the Internet, so you don't have to choose the option every time. Digital signatures are the computerized equivalent of a handwritten signature, but they are much harder to forge. In Notes, your digital signature is created with your private key and then verified with your public key.

When you send an e-mail message, the recipient's status bar element indicates if the document has been signed, encrypted, or both, as follows:

When you send a message with a digital signature attached, the recipient's status bar indicator displays an icon of a document with a pen. Your hierarchical name also shows up in the status bar, identifying that the e-mail was sent with your User ID.
When you send a message that has been encrypted, the recipient's status bar indicator displays an icon of a document with a padlock.
When you send a message that has been encrypted and has a digital signature attached, the recipient's status bar indicator displays an icon of a document with a pen and a padlock. Your hierarchical name also shows up in the status bar.
When you send a message that is neither encrypted nor signed, the status bar indicator icon is grayed out.

If you want to encrypt or sign mail that is being sent over the Internet, you must have an Internet certificate.

If you're working offline with an outgoing mailbox, you can encrypt the mail you send if your organization provides a mobile directory catalog. For more information, see Working online or offline.

Note A signature can be your name with a graphic or your department information appearing in the body of an e-mail message. This type of signature is different than a digital signature. For more information on signatures, see Adding signatures to mail.

To sign outgoing e-mail messages

1. Click File > Security > User Security.
Macintosh OS X users: Notes > Security > User Security.

2. Click Mail.

3. Select "Sign mail that you send" under "Security options that apply to all Notes mail."

To encrypt outgoing e-mail messages

1. Click File > Security > User Security.
Macintosh OS X users: Notes > Security > User Security.

2. Click Mail.

3. Select "Encrypt mail that you send" under "Security options that apply to all Notes mail."

To encrypt saved e-mail messages

1. Click File > Security > User Security.
Macintosh OS X users: Notes > Security > User Security.

2. Click Mail.

3. Select "Encrypt saved copy of mail that you send" under "Security options that apply to all Notes mail."

To encrypt incoming mail that is unencrypted

1. Click File > Security > User Security.
Macintosh OS X users: Notes > Security > User Security.

2. Click Mail.

3. Select "When receiving unencrypted mail, encrypt before storing in your mail file" under "Security options that apply to all Notes mail."

Note

If you do not have Author access to your person record in the Domino Directory, this option is grayed out. You must contact your administrator to change this value for you.

See Also

Requesting Internet certificates

How Notes uses public and private keys for encrypting and signing mail

Preferences for sending and receiving mail

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