When you receive a signed or encrypted message, Outllook Express tells you the messages was signed or encrypted by including an icon next to the name of the person sending you the message. The following message was signed. If this message were also encrypted, you would see an icon with a blue lock.

When you click the e-mail to read it, you get a message telling you the e-mail was signed or encrypted. The following figure shows the message you see for a signed e-mail message.

You can view information in the sender's Digital ID, for example, if you want to verify the information in the ID. Simply click the ribbon icon and select View signing digital ID from the pop- up menu.

If the message you receive was encrypted, you might have to enter your private key password, depending on your security settings. That is, if you set your security option to High, you will get the following dialog box each time Outlook Express uses your Digital ID, such as when you receive or read an encrypted message.

After you enter your private key password, you see a message explaining that the e-mail was sent encrypted. Click Continue to read the e-mail message.