Digitally Signed messages cannot be verified

[Michael Feldbau]

Hello,

 

I am working with OE back from Ver.4.

I have now OE V6 SP2. My OS is XP Pro SP2

I receive digitally signed messages on daily basis. In the Inbox folder it displays the red signature button. However when I open the messages it doesn't indicate that the message is signed.

This began only recently (I suspect after I upgraded to IE 7). Beforehand, for many years it did indicate the red signature icon on open messages.

 

Hence, I cannot perform signature verification at this point.

 

Could anybody advise?

 

Gratefuly,

Michael

__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4702 (20091219) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

1. Please post to this newsgroup in Plain Text, Michael, otherwise your
right-to-left default makes it almost impossible to read your messages.
Thanks.

2. Why isn't WinXP SP3 installed yet?

Computers running WinXP SP2 will NOT be offered any further critical
security updates, Automatic Updates will cease to function, and Windows
Update website will not be available after 10 July 2010 until SP3 is
installed.

3a. Make sure your time, date, and time-zone settings are all correct.

3b. Open Internet Explorer (only) to
http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate | Select CUSTOM and scan |
Install any Critical Security Updates offered (e.g., KB976325). If a Root
Certificates update is listed in the Optional Software Updates category on
the left, install it to take full advantage of IE's enhanced security.

NB: Do NOT install SP3 or IE8! Hide both/either of them ("Don't show me
this update again") for now if necessary, please.

Does the behavior persist now?

OE Tools | Options | Security | Secure Mail | Advanced | Add
senders'certificates to my Address Book: Is this option checked/enabled and
does your correspondents' entries in Address Book include their Digital IDs?

OE Tools | Options | Security | Secure Mail | Advanced | Revocation
Checking: Which option is checked/enabled here?

--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
www.banthecheck.com

[Michael Feldbau]

Thanks Robert for the detalied response.
One small question just to avoid confusion: on one hand you
urge me to install WIN XP SP3, but later you asked NOT to install SP3.
Could you explain please...?

I haven't installed IE8 nor SP3.
The answer to all your question is YES.
The problem persists.

Strangely this happens on another computer of mine too.
Some tech info might help:

1. The received message consists header part and one p7m attachment (signed
message). I know that beause an application of mine generates these
messages.

2. Previously OE treated the attachment as a secured message, and when
performing File|Properties|Details - it provided a button "secure message
source". If at this point you perform File|Save As (eml), the secure message
is saved.
Now this option is unavailable. OE automatically decrypts the secure
message, identifies the message in the Inbox folder as a signed message, but
when the message is opened, there's no indication of digital signature.
Moreover, if you perform File|Save As (eml) - then the decrypted unsigned
message is saved, as though the message was never signed.

Thanks again,
Michael

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABe...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:OirHsSQg...@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4703 (20091220) __________

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

> One small question just to avoid confusion: on one hand you
> urge me to install WIN XP SP3, but later you asked NOT to install SP3.
> Could you explain please...?

1. I wanted to see if installing the most recent Root Certificates update
might resolve the behavior. In Vista and Win7, Root Certificates updates
are installed automatically via Automatic Updates but WinXP users must check
for & install them manually. (Root Certificates updates are generally
released every 3 months or so. The most recent update became available c.
24 Nov-09.)

2. I don't recommend installing Service Packs or IE upgrades via Windows
Update/Automatic Updates.

[Michael Feldbau]

Thanks Robert.

Nothing helped at this stage.
The problem occures also on another computer of mine.
Anything more that I can do?

Regards,
Michael

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABe...@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:u6ylMBag...@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

> signature database 4704 (20091220) __________

>
> The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
>
> http://www.eset.com
>
>
>

__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4704 (20091220) __________

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Was a Root Certificates update available and did you install it?

Michael Feldbau wrote:
> Thanks Robert.
>
> Nothing helped at this stage.
> The problem occures also on another computer of mine.
> Anything more that I can do?
>

[Michael Feldbau]

I have installed ALL 92 updates (except for SP3 and IE8). I can't remember
if a root certificate update was among them. Would you like to check for
some specific new CA which can indicate that the update has indeed been
installed ?

Thanks,
Michael
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABe...@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:uBNkXxgg...@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

I'd asked you to go to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com, run a CUSTOM scan
for updates, check the Optional Software Updates category on the left-hand
side to see if a Root Certificates update was offered, and then to install
it if there was one. Did you do so?

Michael Feldbau wrote:
> I have installed ALL 92 updates (except for SP3 and IE8). I can't remember
> if a root certificate update was among them. Would you like to check for
> some specific new CA which can indicate that the update has indeed been
> installed ?
>

[Michael Feldbau]

Just installed the November '09 root certificate update.
Didn't help.

Regards,
Michael
-------------------------------------------------

> .
>

[Michael Feldbau]

Dear Robert,

I have investigated the issue thoroughly and I wish to share my findings
with you.
1. The raw signed message received is structured as follows: Header part,
then one p7m attachment. (I know that, since another application of mine is
generating those signed messages).

2. After the message is received in the Inbox, I performed File|Save As (eml
format). Then I renamed the saved file to have the TXT suffix in order to
review the raw message.
Surprisingly, no indication of the original format, i.e. the p7m attachment
has been rplaced with the interpreted content of the p7m signed message,
that is with the unsigned internal message.
This means that when the raw signed message was received, the p7m attachment
was interpreted, and the internal message (intended to be signed) was
extracted, and the signed envelope has been removed - and no evidence
thereof has been retained.

Since this suddenly occured on 2 separate computers of mine, after I have
been working with all versions of OE since version 4, this, to my opinion
has been caused by a software update of MS.

I would appreciate your assistance since i have many customers which might
be affected by this problem.

Regards,
Michael

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Michael Feldbau" <Michael...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message news:91A97712-5EB3-4BCA...@microsoft.com...

> signature database 4707 (20091221) __________

>
> The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
>
> http://www.eset.com
>
>
>

__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4707 (20091221) __________

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

OE Tools | Options | Read | Read all messages in plain text (checked or
unchecked?)

OE Tools | Options | Security: Is OE running in Restricted Sites zone and
are the "Do not download attachments..." and "Block images..." options both
unchecked?

[Michael Feldbau]

See answers next to the questions.
-------------------------------------------------

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABe...@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:%23KMll4t...@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

> OE Tools | Options | Read | Read all messages in plain text (checked or

> unchecked?) UNCHECKED

>
> OE Tools | Options | Security: Is OE running in Restricted Sites zone and
> are the "Do not download attachments..." and "Block images..." options

> both unchecked? I CLEARED BOTH, OE IS RUNNING IN RESTRICTED ZONE.
> DIDN'T HELP

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

I've asked my MVP colleague Michael Santovec to take a look at your thread.
Hopefully he'll be posting a reply soon.

[Michael Santovec]

Unfortunately, I know very little about signed messages. They seem a
lot more bother than they are worth.

Since Microsoft hasn't made any updates to OE for ages, it's not likely
that's responsible for the sudden changes.

Although OE does use some system and IE DLL files, it possible that some
changes there have affected OE's behavior.

Other potential culprits would include anti-virus or anti-spam software
that the messages pass through or some change at the mail service that
receives the messages.

--

Mike - http://TechHelp.Santovec.us

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABe...@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:#i3k1lyg...@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

[Thanks, Mike!]

Michael Santovec wrote:
> Unfortunately, I know very little about signed messages. They seem a
> lot more bother than they are worth.
>
> Since Microsoft hasn't made any updates to OE for ages, it's not likely
> that's responsible for the sudden changes.
>
> Although OE does use some system and IE DLL files, it possible that some
> changes there have affected OE's behavior.
>
> Other potential culprits would include anti-virus or anti-spam software
> that the messages pass through or some change at the mail service that
> receives the messages.
>
>

[Michael Feldbau]

Thanks Robert and Mike.
You have been most cooperative.

Regards,
Michael
-------------------------------------------------------------

[HUSSEIN.ALKOLDI]

 

‏‏تم كتابة "Michael Feldbau" <mik...@netvision.net.il> في أخبار الرسالة:Osq8jcOg...@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...