Safe-mail is now able to issue all its members with a Digital Certificate.

With immediate effect, we are introducing Digital Certificates for a limited number of users. During this initial period, interested people can acquire a Digital Certificate to trial and we would welcome any feedback. Availability for all Safe-mail users will be in approximately 6 to 8 weeks.

Safe-mail Certificates should be more trustworthy than any other Certificate from any known Certificate Authority (CA). This is especially true because Safe-mail manages BOTH the e-mail address and the Certificate associated with it. With other systems, users get their e-mail addresses from one source and the Certificate from another. Consequently, situations may arise where two different users will have two different Certificates for the same e-mail address. Anomalies such as this cause great difficulties when using Digital Certificates.

Does it cost anything to get a Certificate from Safe-mail?

Can my Certificate be issued to any other person with the same e-mail address?

No. Once we provide a Certificate, the e-mail address is reserved on the Safe-mail system for at least one year. Even if you cancel your e-mail account, no other person will be able to get this e-mail address until the Certificate has expired. This is not the custom of other CA's.

OK, now that I have a Certificate, how can it help me?

Possessing a Safe-mail issued Certificate will be particularly useful when you are dealing with an organisation such as a bank, heath care firm or law office that will only communicate with you by e-mail if you are capable of receiving and sending S/MIME messages. Receiving and sending S/MIME messages requires you to have a Digital Certificate.

Being compatible with Certificates is particularly attractive for organizations, especially those that are capable of batch producing S/MIME messages where each message is unique. Such organizations now have two-way communication with their Safe-mail enabled customers with complete security free of charge. The customers who are using a Safe-mail account will receive such messages seamlessly in the same way as they are receiving any other secure message and they will be able to verify the sender's identity, the content integrity and know that it is secure.

Here are a few examples:

1. Universities will be able to distribute exams results with full confidentiality to students. Students will be able to send confidential information to the university.
2. Medical labs will be able to distribute test results with full confidentiality to patients, doctors and hospitals. Clients will be able to send their health related details to their doctor.
3. Banks will be able to easily and economically distribute statements etc to customers weekly and monthly. Clients will be able to send personal information to their bank.

1. The Safe-mail user will ask for a Certificate from Safe-mail. This process takes almost no time and costs nothing.
2. The user will send a digitally signed message to the organization. This is done from the normal Compose function with one extra click on the "Sign this message" check-box. The user's Certificate will automatically be attached to this signed message as indeed it will be with any other signed message.
3. The organization receives the user's e-mail address plus the user's Certificate and will be able to start secure communication with that customer.

1. Organizations can upgrade certificates: Organizations can have their own ability to authenticate users' Certificates for their customers using a back office facility supplied by Safe-mail.
2. Read receipt: A back office will also enable organisations to verify when and if customers have read their messages.

A back office from Safe-mail will be supplied on a chargeable basis.

If you would like to acquire your digital certificate now, send a request to CA@Safe-mail.net from your account.