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Q191549: MIME Parts and Message Source for a Digitally Signed Message

Article: Q191549
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): WINDOWS:4.0,5.0,5.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 23-APR-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 4.0, 5.0, 5.5 
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SUMMARY
=======

The following example describes what the MIME parts and message source will look
like for a signed message.

  X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.71.0729.0

  From: "Ryan LaBrie" <ryanl@microsoft.com>

  To: "steven@somecompany.com" <steven@somecompany.com>

  Subject: signed message

  Date: Wed, 30 Apr 1997 20:37:03 -0700

  X-Priority: 3

  X-MSMail-Priority: Normal

  MIME-Version: 1.0

  Content-Type: multipart/signed;

  boundary="----=_NextPart_000_01BC55A9.8FA8A740";

  micalg=sha1;

  protocol=application/x-pkcs7-signature

  X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE Engine V4.71.0728.0

  NOTE - This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

  ------=_NextPart_000_01BC55A9.8FA8A740

  Content-Type: multipart/alternative;

  boundary="----=_NextPart_001_01BC55A9.8FAA2DE0"

  ------=_NextPart_001_01BC55A9.8FAA2DE0

  Content-Type: text/plain;

  charset="iso-8859-1"

  Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

  NOTE - This is a clear signed message.

  ------=_NextPart_001_01BC55A9.8FAA2DE0

  Content-Type: text/html;

  charset="iso-8859-1"

  Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

  <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML 3.2//EN"><HTML>

  <HEAD>

  <META HTTP-EQUIV=3D"Content-Type" CONTENT=3D"text/html; =

  charset=3DUS-ASCII">

  <META content=3D'"Trident 4.71.0729.0"' name=3DGENERATOR>

  </HEAD>

  <BODY>

  <P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">This is a clear signed message =

  hopefully...</FONT></P>

  </BODY>

  </HTML>

  ------=_NextPart_001_01BC55A9.8FAA2DE0--

  ------=_NextPart_000_01BC55A9.8FA8A740

  Content-Type: application/x-pkcs7-signature;

  name="smime.p7s"

  Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64

  Content-Disposition: attachment;

  filename="smime.p7s"

  MIIGTAYJKoZIhvcNAQcCoIIGPTCCBjkCAQExCzAJBgUrDgMCGgUAMAsGCSqGSIb3DQEHAaCC
  BTsw

  ggU3MIIEoKADAgECAhBO9j8bsMhfLRsKSiktdU5hMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBBAUAMGIxETAPBgNV
  BAcT

  CEludGVybmV0MRcwFQYDVQQKEw5WZXJpU2lnbiwgSW5jLjE0MDIGA1UECxMrVmVyaVNpZ24g
  Q2xh

  c3MgMSBDQSAtIEluZGl2aWR1YWwgU3Vic2NyaWJlcjAeFw05NzAyMjAwMDAwMDBaFw05ODAy
  MjAy

  . (lots of content deleted)

  ------=_NextPart_000_01BC55A9.8FA8A740--

The last part of the message is the signed hash of the message and is sent using
the content-transfer-encoding type of Base64 which will allow the transmission
of 8-bit data encoded in a 7-bit format. Hence, it is quite unreadable. This
part of the message is listed as an attachment with the filename smime.p7s. Mail
clients that are not S/MIME aware will display this file as an attachment. If
the message is received by an S/MIME aware client, there will not be a visible
attachment. In addition, in the above message, the certificate was included and
would be available for importing into the Windows Address Book.

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange500 kbExchange550 kbExchange400 kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : WINDOWS:4.0,5.0,5.5
Issue type        : kbhowto kbinfo

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