Alphanumeric characters
Letters (A, a, B, b, C, c, D, d and so on) and numbers (1, 2, 3, and so on).
Certificate
As it applies to email, a certificate is a file containing encryption keys and other data used to identify the owner of the certificate. Certificates can be used to sign and encrypt messages. Other uses for certificates include establishing secure connections between network devices.
Credential
As it applies to email, a credential is some piece of software or firmware that can be used to establish the identity and/or privileges of the email sender and/or recipient.
Delivery type
The preferred delivery format of an email recipient (S/MIME, OpenPGP or WebMail Pull, for example).
Digital signature
As it applies to email, a digital signature is a means of insuring that the sender of an email message is genuine (the message did not come from someone posing as the sender) and that the message was not tampered with in transit. When the sender signs the message, the software records some features of the message (such as its size) and encrypts this information with the sender's private signing key. This information is incorporated into the message. When the recipient gets the message, their desktop software detects the signature. The sender's public key is used to decrypt the signature, proving that it came from the key's owner. The information about the message, which is contained in the signature, is matched against the message content to detect any tampering.
Return to previous pageEmail account
Access, provided by an organization or service provider, to a system for exchanging messages electronically, for example, using personal computers (PCs).
Encryption
As it applies to email, encryption is the act of making a message and any attachments unreadable by anyone other than the intended recipient.
Encryption key
An encryption key is a piece of software containing information used to encrypt and decrypt software files. Commonly, the keys are issued in pairs: one "public" and one "private" key. When used in an email system, the "public key" is used to make messages unreadable by anyone except the key's owner. Anyone sending email messages to the owner of the key, encrypts the message using the owner's public key. The "private key" is never made available to other users; it is used by the key's owner to decrypt messages. The key's owner or some commercial software product must make the public key available to anyone wanting to encrypt messages for them. To work, the encryption system requires email desktop software capable of using the keys to encrypt and decrypt messages (such as Microsoft Outlook with the appropriate plug-in).
For example, if Alice wants to encrypt a message for Bob, she first sends a message to Bob asking for his public key. After receiving the key, she uses it to encrypt any message she sends to Bob. Alternatively, if Alice is in an organization using a secure email server, the server might send the message requesting the key and encrypt the message automatically.
Messaging Server uses the terms internal and external to classify how it interacts with various users. You may have different capabilities if you are an internal user than if you are external. To determine if you are an internal or external user, go to Credentials > Add Credential > Upload Credential. If a field labeled Password appears on the page, you are an internal user.
Home (or Home page)
The main page of a Web site and usually the first page seen by a visitor. The home page usually contains information about the purpose and layout of the Web site and links to other Web pages.
Return to previous pageInternal
See External
Mailbox
As it applies to an email system, a mailbox is the folder or set of folders where email messages arrive and are stored.
Mailbox folder
Most email mailboxes categorize messages into folders. For example, most mailboxes have an "Inbox" folder for new mail (and perhaps stored mail), a "Trash" folder to store unwanted email until you choose to delete it, an "Outbox" folder where messages are briefly stored before being sent, and a "Sent Items" folder where copies of messages you send are stored. In addition, most email software allows the user to create your own folders where you can file messages for easier retrieval.
Non-alphanumeric characters
Punctuation marks, symbols, and other keyboard characters that are not letters or numbers (!, $ or &, for example).
OpenPGP
A method of exchanging secure email messages, in which the email user has a set of software keys called a "key ring," rather than a certificate. The key ring contains the user's own keys and the public keys of various other persons and organizations with which the user communicates.
Password
As used in email, a set of alphanumeric and non-alphanumeric characters used to confirm the legitimacy of a someone attempting to use an email account or software related to the account.
Proxy certificates
In Messaging Server, the secure email server can encrypt and decrypt email for certain users. To do this, it securely stores certificates called proxy certificates.
Return to previous pageS/MIME
As it applies to email, a system for sending and receiving secure email. In an S/MIME system, an organization obtains and uses software called a Certification Authority to generate certificates for its email users. Certificates are distributed to individual email users to enable them to send and receive encrypted and/or signed email.
Secure message
As it applies to email, any message that is sent in some protected manner; an encrypted message, for example.
WebMail
A method of sending and receiving email using a Web browser (Chrome or Firefox, for example). Instead of having email software on each individual's PC, the browser accesses a page over the Internet where a user can send, receive, and store email.
WebMail Pull
A type of Messaging Server webmail where the user logs into a webmail server using a browser and performs mail functions (reading email, saving email, and replying to email, for example) directly on the server. WebMail Pull users have mailboxes on the server.
WebMail Push (Web Push)
A type of Messaging Server webmail where a mail recipient is sent an encrypted message as an attachment. The recipient must log in to a webmail server to decrypt the message using a password. (They obtain the password by a method selected by an email configuration administrator.) WebMail Push users do not have mailboxes on the server and cannot compose and send secure email.
X.509 certificates
X.509 refers to a set of recommendations for creating and using a system of software keys (and certificates) to help secure computer systems and software. Certificates that conform to those recommendations are commonly called X.509 certificates. X.509 certificates are used with S/MIME secure email systems.
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