1.5 Applicability Statement

  • Article

This algorithm can be used by any protocol role that is required to represent S/MIME messages by using a Message object format. It can also be used by any protocol role that is required to send or receive S/MIME messages by using a server that implements the Message object format.

The algorithm is limited to top-level clear-signed or S/MIME wrapping only; a message classified as a clear-signed message, an opaque-signed message, or an encrypted message can contain other nested S/MIME wrapping layers.

This algorithm specifies the interpretation and rendering of clear-signed messages, opaque-signed messages, and encrypted messages based on the assumption that the client or server that requires the interpretation or rendering of such messages can parse and interpret the corresponding Internet e-mail message format as defined in the following protocols: [RFC2822], [RFC2045], [RFC2046], [RFC2047], [RFC2048], [RFC2049], [RFC1847], [RFC5751], and [RFC3852].