RFC 3851 (rfc3851) - Page 1 of 36

Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME) Version 3

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Network Working Group                                B. Ramsdell, Editor
Request for Comments: 3851                                Sendmail, Inc.
Obsoletes: 2633                                                July 2004
Category: Standards Track


   Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME) Version 3.1
                         Message Specification

Status of this Memo

   This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
   Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
   improvements.  Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
   Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
   and status of this protocol.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2004).

Abstract

   This document defines Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions
   (S/MIME) version 3.1.  S/MIME provides a consistent way to send and
   receive secure MIME data.  Digital signatures provide authentication,
   message integrity, and non-repudiation with proof of origin.
   Encryption provides data confidentiality.  Compression can be used to
   reduce data size.  This document obsoletes RFC 2633.

Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2
       1.1.  Specification Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3
       1.2.  Terminology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3
       1.3.  Definitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
       1.4.  Compatibility with Prior Practice of S/MIME. . . . . . .  5
       1.5.  Changes Since S/MIME v3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
   2.  CMS Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
       2.1.  DigestAlgorithmIdentifier. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
       2.2.  SignatureAlgorithmIdentifier . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
       2.3.  KeyEncryptionAlgorithmIdentifier . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
       2.4.  General Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
       2.5.  Attributes and the SignerInfo Type . . . . . . . . . . .  7
       2.6.  SignerIdentifier SignerInfo Type . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
       2.7.  ContentEncryptionAlgorithmIdentifier . . . . . . . . . . 12
   3.  Creating S/MIME Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14




Ramsdell                    Standards Track
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