New Encryption Management Server PDF Email Protection users are not sent existing messages as PDF

Products

• Encryption Management Server
• Gateway Email Encryption

Issue/Introduction

A new PDF Email Protection external user is sent several email messages before they set their initial passphrase.

Encryption Management Server sends the user an email based on the Message Template New User Email -- Establish PDF Email Protection Passphrase. By default, the email has the subject of Symantec PDF Email Protection Message and includes a URL for them to set their initial passphrase. The URL is similar to this where keys.example.com is the Web Email Protection home page and [email protected] is their email address:

https://keys.example.com/b/f.e?r=user%40example.org&n=bz3wsl4xyxOc4uhAoIJ7Bg%3D%3D

However, instead of clicking on the URL, they click on the I lost my passphrase link on the Web Email Protection home page. After entering their email address, by default Encryption Management Server sends them a message based on the Template Recover Passphrase which by default has the Subject of Symantec Encryption Server Passphrase Reset and contains a URL to reset their passphrase. The URL is similar to this where keys.example.com is the Web Email Protection home page:

https://keys.example.com/b/rp.e?rid=GZIKQER6DTPP5IU27FGDDBAKLE

After setting their passphrase and selecting PDF Email Protection as their delivery preference, they find that although subsequent messages are sent to them as passphrase protected PDF files, the existing messages in their Web Email Protection Inbox are not sent as PDF files but remain in their Inbox.

Environment

Symantec Encryption Management Server 3.4.2 MP2 and below using PDF Email Protection.

Resolution

Upgrade to Encryption Management Server 3.4.2 MP3 or above. In release 3.4.2 MP3 and above, if a new external user clicks on the I lost my passphrase link on the Web Email Protection home page to set their passphrase, the existing messages in their Web Email Protection Inbox are sent to them as PDF files. In other words, the behavior is the same as if the user set their inital passphrase using the URL in the email based on the Message Template New User Email -- Establish PDF Email Protection Passphrase.

In releases prior to 3.4.2 MP3, a workaround is for the PDF Email Protection user to click on the Resend All Messages button. Encryption Management Server will then deliver all messages in their Inbox to them as passphrase protected PDF files.