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V
vwpd
New Participant
April 10, 2020
Question

FIPS 140 Certificates not working

  • April 10, 2020
  • 1 reply
  • 831 views

I have FIPS 140 mode enable becaues I have to for the documents I am encrypting.  I am using a windows certificate, encrypting the document, exporting the certificate under the details view so its a .cert file and not .fdf. I send the docuemnt and the certificate and keep getting an error message that this document was created with a digital ID make sure it's properly installed or contact document creator.

 

I am using the process that Adobe support talked me through I've spoke to 17 different techs to try and get this up and running. I have tried a hundred different variations I could think of, does anyone have an idea on how to send this document encrypted and have the certificate actually work to open it?

 

We are not on the same server so it's not server based.

Help or ideas would be apprciated, Adobe tech support has been of little help.

This topic has been closed for replies.

1 reply

M
margueritek
Inspiring
April 10, 2020

The person doing the encryption must have access to the certificate private key. This could be an installed Windows certificate. You only need the public key certificates of the recipients, here. But the person receiving the document must also have access to the private key of a recipient certificate. That's how the system knows that it's a valid recipient. Just sending a public key certificate won't work. The recipient needs to install the certificate with its private key to be able to open the PDF.

V
vwpdAuthor
New Participant
April 13, 2020

How would I get the private key then, I am encrypting something and sending it outside my office.  I need them to be able to open it.  Adobe told me to go into the details and export it from there and that would let them open it.  I've tried every variation I can think of, I am missing something it seems.

M
margueritek
Inspiring
April 13, 2020

A certificate comes in two parts. The certificate itself, which contains its public key, and a separate private key. When you install a certificate (or create one locally) you have both parts. Your recipient also has both parts of his certificate. What you need, to send a certificate encrypted document, is your certificate (including the private key), and his certificate, which contains his public key. You don't need his private key.

 

How do you get his public key certificate? The easiest way is to send him a plain PDF with a digital signature field, and have him sign it with his certificate. When you receive the signed PDF, you can access the signature properties and export the public key certificate into your own key store. That's the piece you need to send a message to him.

 

When he receives an encrypted PDF, he has your public key certificate (in the PDF you sent) and his certificate, including the private key. That allows him to open the file.

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