Re: Digital ID's and Shared Mailboxes

From: Lassi Hippeläinen (lahippel_at_ieee.orgies.invalid)
Date: 10/04/04 

Date: Mon, 04 Oct 2004 12:06:33 GMT

robby wrote:
>
> I have a question regarding Digital ID's, e.g. from Thawte, Verisign,
> etc.
>
> Is it possible to use Digital ID's to sign email that is sent from a
> shared mailbox? We have a mailbox that is used by N staff that all
> have permission to send email as the mailbox - e.g.
> helpdesk@domain.com, and we have a client that wishes only to
> communicate using signed email.
>
> We use Exchange 2003 Server and Outlook 2000/2000 if that helps.
>
> I'm guessing that the answer is no, because of the way certificates
> are created and surely this doesn't fit in with the philosphy of
> digital ID's and signed email.

>From the philosophical point of view, certificates can certainly be used
by a group. A digital identity need not be bound to a person. Bind it to
the mail account, and control access by other means.

-- Lassi

> Perhaps there is an alternative solution or something I am missing?
> Any help would be gratefully recieved.
>
> Thanks, rob.