Adobe Reader 8

Get certificates from other users

You keep certificates that you receive from other users in a list of trusted identities. This list is like an address book that stores certificates. It lets you validate the signatures of these users on any documents you receive. You can also use the list to encrypt files.

Request a certificate from another user

  1. Choose Document > Manage Trusted Identities.
  2. Click Request Contact.
  3. Type your name, email address, and contact information.
  4. To allow other users to add your certificate to their list of trusted identities, select Include My Certificates.
  5. Select whether to email the request or save it as a file to email later, and then click Next.
  6. Select the digital ID file to use, and then click Select.
  7. Do one of the following:

    • If the Compose Email dialog box appears, type the email address of the person you’re requesting a certificate from, and click Email. Send the email message that appears, with the attached certificate, in the default email application.

    • If the Export Data As dialog box appears, specify a name and location for the file, click Save, and then click OK.

Add a certificate from email

  1. After a user sends you certificate information, open the email attachment in Reader, and then click Set Contact Trust in the dialog box that appears.
  2. Select trust options, click OK, and follow the prompts.

Add a Windows certificate (Windows only)

This option is recommended if you use the Windows certificate store to organize certificates.

  1. In the Security preferences, click Advanced Preferences.
  2. Click the Windows Integration tab, and select Enable Searching The Windows Certificate Store For Certificates Other Than Yours. Select the desired options, and click OK twice.
  3. Choose Document > Manage Trusted Identities.
  4. Click Add Contacts.
  5. Do any of the following:

    • If Windows certificate digital IDs are allowed, select the appropriate directory and group.

    • If you configured an identity search directory, select the appropriate directory and group. You can then click Search to locate specific certificates.

    • Click Browse, select the certificate file, and click Open.

  6. Select the added certificate in the Contacts list to add it to the Certificates list. Select the certificate in the Certificates list, and click Details.
  7. In the Certificate Viewer dialog box, click the Details tab and note the MD5 digest and SHA1 digest values (fingerprint). Contact the certificate’s originator to confirm that the values are correct. The certificate should be trusted only if the values are correct. Click OK.
  8. After you verify that the information is correct, click Trust, specify trust options, and click OK.

Import certificates using the Windows Certificate Wizard (Windows only)

If you use the Windows certificate store to organize your certificates, you can import certificates using a wizard in Windows Explorer.

  1. In Windows Explorer, right-click the certificate file and choose Install Certificate.
  2. Follow the on-screen instructions to add the certificate to the Windows certificate store.
  3. If you’re prompted to validate the certificate before installing it, note the MD5 digest and SHA1 digest values (fingerprint). Contact the certificate’s originator to confirm that the values are correct. The certificate should be trusted only if the values are correct. Click OK.

Add a certificate using a signature in a PDF

You can safely add a certificate to your trusted identities from a signed PDF by first verifying the fingerprint with the certificate’s originator.

  1. Open the PDF containing the user’s self-signed signature.
  2. Click the signature in the document to check whether it’s valid.
  3. Click Signature Properties, and then click Show Certificate.
  4. In the Certificate Viewer dialog box, click the Details tab and note the MD5 digest and SHA1 digest values (fingerprint). Contact the certificate’s originator to confirm that the values are correct. The certificate should be trusted only if the values are correct.
  5. After you verify that the certificate information is correct, click the Trust tab, click Add To Trusted Identities, click OK, specify trust options, and click OK.