Installing an SMIME certificate

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Revision as of 04:00, 24 May 2005 by Lascott (talk | contribs)
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You can import/install your personal S/MIME certificate by doing the following. Important: you must first set a master password if you have not already done so. The master password is needed so that imported certificates are stored securely. If you need instructions for setting a master password, look here.

  1. In Thunderbird, go to "Tools -> Options -> Advanced -> Certificates -> Manage Certificates...". (In Mozilla Suite, go to "Edit -> Preferences -> Privacy & Security -> Certificates -> Manage Certificates...".)
  2. Make sure that you are on the "Your Certificates" tab.
  3. Click on "Import".
  4. Select the PCKS12 cert.
  5. It will ask you for the master password for the software security device. Enter your master password and click "OK".
  6. Next, it will ask you for the password protecting your personal certificate. Enter this password and click "OK".

You should have now imported your S/MIME certificate. If your certificate was not trusted, look here.

Note: As of May 23, 2005, the Thawte site does not offer Thunderbird in its list of what software you might be using when you sign up for a personal certificate there. It does offer Netscape/Messenger as possibilities. If you use Firefox 1.0.4 to get your certificate and take the Netscape/Messenger option, a certificate silently installs into Firefox. There is no fanfare at all, but it works. To find that certificate and get a file that you can import into Thunderbird using the directions above, go, in Firefox, into Tools>Options>Advanced. Scroll down and click "Manage Certificates. Highlight the certificate and click "Backup." Follow the prompts to produce the necessary file.

See also

5/23/05--added the last paragraph. LAS