Manually Encrypt and Sign Email Messages Using Outlook Buttons

Products

• Symantec Products

Issue/Introduction

This articles details how to encrypt and sign email messages in Outlook using the Encrypt and Sign buttons available with PGP Desktop 10.

Resolution

In PGP Desktop for Windows 10.X, a new feature is available for Microsoft Outlook 2002 SP3, 2003 (XP) SP3, and 2007 when used with Microsoft Exchange (MAPI) and SMTP email accounts. This new feature provides buttons to explicitly sign, encrypt, or sign and encrypt an email message.

The Sign and Encrypt buttons are available for both managed and standalone installations of PGP Desktop. The buttons are disabled by default. The buttons are enabled on the Messaging tab of the PGP Options.

When enabled in Microsoft Outlook 2002/2003, both buttons appear on the toolbar. When enabled in Microsoft Outlook 2007, both buttons appear on the Message ribbon.

Outgoing email policy determines how the email message is sent. There are three new default policies included in new installations of PGP Desktop to support these buttons.

The Sign and Encrypt buttons are an additional feature where you have control over which email needs to be encrypted and/or signed. The buttons are not a replacement for the email proxying used in PGP Desktop.

To sign, encrypt, or sign and encrypt a email message

1. Begin composing your email message.
2. Do one of the following:

• To sign only, click Sign. Note that when you choose to sign only, the email will be sent in cleartext.
• To encrypt only, click Encrypt.
• To sign and encrypt, click both Sign and Encrypt.
• Compose your email message and send it.