Outlook 98 Does Not Read Certificates Created by Certificate Server

• Microsoft Internet Information Server version 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0, Terminal Server Edition

SYMPTOMS

Outlook 98 does not read certificates created by Microsoft Certificate Server. Outlook 98 is sensitive to the contents of the KeyUsages field. Specifically, if either KeyEncipherment or DigitalSignature is used, then both must be set.

CAUSE

The default policy module shipped with the Windows NT Option Pack only sets KeyEnchipherment and not DigitalSignature. Therefore, Outlook 98 does not read certificates created by Certificate Server running the default policy module.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack

WORKAROUND

You can also work around this issue by modifying the default policy module to set both KeyEncipherment and DigitalSignature or neither when you are issuing mail certificates.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Internet Information Server version 4.0. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition Service Pack 4.

MORE INFORMATION

The source code for the default policy module is available as part of the Windows Base Services component of the Platform SDK from MSDN.

Additional query words:

Keywords : NT4SP4Fix
Version : winnt:4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbprb