Thanks for your answer. According to the infobox of Outlook Express 6.0 SP1 (completely updated), it says something like 128 bits coding strength (I have a Dutch version). I can access something like mailvault, which requires 128 bit SSL.
The windows homepage tells me that the "strong encryption pack" is only available for MSIE < 6.0 which has this package included. Therefore I can't install this "strong encryption pack". https://www.fortify.net/sslcheck.html says I can use RC4, 128 bit coding strength. To my best knowledge Outlook Express and Internet Explorer use the same coding system. What I have done is create 3 certs (1 root, and 2 users) on my pc. I import all keys with the certificate manager, then create a public key (with the certificate manager) from "the other user". This public key is stored in the addressbook of "the other user". I'm composing a message in Outlook Express from "me" to the "other" user. When I click on "send" it gives a warning (like "only 40 bit encryption is used"). The message wasn't really send, it just sits in the outbox. The certs do work. As far as I can see, the problem must be either in Outlook Express, Windows 98SE, or OpenSSL. Peter. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dr. Stephen Henson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2003 3:10 AM Subject: Re: Problem creating strong encryption certificates > On Tue, Jan 21, 2003, Peter Hendriks wrote: > > > Want to create "strong" certificates for e-mail exchange with Outlook > > Express 6.0 SP1. Using OpenSSL 0.9.7, dos port, downloaded the binary. I > > don't have a compiler... > > > > I'm able to create the root cert, and the user certs. However Outlook > > Express shows a message that a 40 bit RC2 encryption is used, while it can > > handle 168 bit cets. > > > > Help would be VERY welcome, I spend countless hours in figuring out how to > > get this to work and I feel a little frustrated. I must be so close, yet it > > seems so far away :-( > > > > It doesn't have anything to do with the certificates which will typically have > 1024 bit keys... > > Normal S/MIME email clients (like Outlook) will only send messages encrypted > using a cipher the recipient can read. So if the recipient only supports 40 > bit RC2 thats all it will use. If the sender only supports 40 bits it will > only use that too. The capabilities of each recipient are passed when a signed > email is exchanged. > > Check both sides have the 128 bit security patch applied: see the "about" box > of MSIE. If not then apply the patch, make sure you have 128 bit security then > exchange signed emails again. > > Steve. > -- > Dr. Stephen Henson [EMAIL PROTECTED] > OpenSSL Project http://www.openssl.org/~steve/ > ______________________________________________________________________ > OpenSSL Project http://www.openssl.org > User Support Mailing List [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Automated List Manager [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > ______________________________________________________________________ OpenSSL Project http://www.openssl.org User Support Mailing List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Automated List Manager [EMAIL PROTECTED]
