Accessing servers using certificates

What are Notes certificates?
When you want to access any IBM Lotus Domino server, whether it be your mail server or an HR server in your company, you need a certificate to identify yourself to that server, and the server needs a certificate to identify you.

What are Internet certificates?
When you want to access a secure Web site that requires an SSL connection, such as www.verisign.com, where S is added before the HTTP that precedes the address, or you want to encrypt or sign mail that is sent over the Internet, you need an Internet certificate.

How can I request Internet certificates?
You can request an Internet certificate from IBM Lotus Domino through your Domino administrator, or you can request an Internet certificate from another vendor. Regardless of where you request the Internet certificate from, you need to use the IBM Lotus Notes browser to request it, so you can use the Internet certificate with Notes. Internet certificates can be used to sign and encrypt mail messages and make secure connections over the Internet.

How can I import and export Internet certificates for use between browsers?
When you receive new Internet certificates, you can only use them in the browser with which you requested them. However, you can export Internet certificates from a browser and then import them into your User ID so you can use them with the IBM Lotus Notes browser and Internet-style mail (S/MIME). In the same respect, you can export Internet certificates from your User ID so you can use them with a browser other than Notes. You can also import and export Internet certificates for use between other Internet applications, such as Microsoft® Outlook.

How can I delete certificates from my Notes User ID?
You can delete flat certificates and Internet certificates from your User ID. However, when you delete certificates, IBM Lotus Notes retains the appropriate keys to decrypt data that was encrypted with those certificates.

Finding Notes and Internet certificates you trust
You can check your Contacts and the IBM Lotus Domino Directory for all certificates belonging to a specific person. For example, you may want to send encrypted mail to a colleague in your company. To successfully send encrypted mail, IBM Lotus Notes must be able to find your colleague's certificate. If you are not sure Lotus Notes can find your colleague's certificate or whether you trust that person's certificate, you can check for certificates belonging to your colleague.

Sending and receiving Notes certificates to establish trust
Trust is established for a certificate through a cross certificate. You may need to send someone your IBM Lotus Notes certificate so that person can create a cross certificate for it. You in turn may receive a Notes certificate that you need to cross-certify with. You can also create a cross certificate for a certificate in the IBM Lotus Domino Directory.

How can I retrieve an Internet cross certificate?
If you try to request an Internet certificate, and your Contacts does not have a cross certificate for the certificate authority (CA) you are requesting the certificate from, you have to retrieve an Internet cross certificate to complete the request.