What is an S/MIME certificate?
S/MIME (Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) is an international standard for secure email communication.
Through the use of digital signatures, S/MIME enables the sender to be uniquely identified, protects messages from unauthorised alterations and verifies their origin.
In addition, S/MIME certificates can be used to encrypt emails, ensuring that their content can only be read by the intended recipients. The basis for this is Standard RFC 8551.
Why do you need a certificate?
Emails are often sent unencrypted. On their way to the recipient, they pass through numerous systems and networks. Without additional protective measures, there is a risk that messages may be intercepted, altered or forged.
S/MIME certificates protect against these risks. The digital signature enables the recipient to verify the sender’s identity. Encryption ensures that only the intended recipients can read the contents of an email.
Landshut University of Applied Sciences recommends that all staff apply for a certificate and to install it in your email client install it in your email client.
At Landshut University of Applied Sciences, certificate holders are currently identified on the basis of their existing employment status. No additional ID checks are required. Further information on this can be found in the Dokumentation the DFN Association’s website.
What should you bear in mind regarding expired certificates?
Expired S/MIME certificates should not be deleted hastily. If a certificate was used to encrypt emails, it is still required to read encrypted messages that have already been received. When changing devices, such certificates must therefore be imported again.
English Version: Usage