A digital certificate is an electronic proof of authenticity that, for example, verifies a person's identity. In real life, a certificate can be compared to an ID card. With a digital certificate, the certification authority (CA) is the issuing authority and confirms the authenticity of the certificate.
The digital certificate can be used for the following purposes:
Digital signature of PDFs
Ensures the integrity of the document and the signature
Signing and/or encrypting emails
Confirms the authenticity and integrity of an email, as well as enables email encryption
1. Integrate certificate in Outlook
You may have noticed that emails from, for example, university management, IT, or finance are signed. This can be recognized by the red-marked symbol.
To integrate your own certificate in Outlook, go to the top left and click File -> Options -> Trust Center -> Trust Center Settings
Go to Email Security and then click on Import Digital IDs
Click on Browse and select the certificate you just created.
Enter the password you received from the IT service.
Confirm the import window by clicking OK.
Check the box for “Add digital signature to outgoing messages.” And verify the S/MIME settings.
When you now compose a new email and go to the Options tab, the signing should be automatically enabled (highlighted in blue).
2. Integrate certificate in Adobe Acrobat
Start Adobe and go to Menu -> Preferences.
Click on Signatures and then on “Add more identities and trusted certificates.”
Click on Digital ID Files. Your certificate will be listed here if you have already integrated it in Outlook. Click on the certificate, then click the pencil icon at the top to use it for signing.
Click on “Use for Signing.”
To sign a PDF document, go to All Tools and Show More.
Select “Use a Certificate.”
“Fill & Sign” is incorrect.
Click on Digital Sign and drag with the left mouse button in the document to the area where the signature should appear.
Confirm the selected certificate.
Allow the process to complete. After that, the PDF document is fully signed and can be saved.
