Using PGP Viewer to decrypt email messages encrypted with PGP content
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Using PGP Viewer to decrypt email messages encrypted with PGP content

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Article ID: 153463

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Updated On:

Products

Encryption Management Server

Issue/Introduction

Symantec Encryption products enable you to encrypt and decrypt content automatically and on-the-fly so that effort is minimized during these operations.  When automatic options are not possible, such as when email disclaimers are added to the encrypted content, causing the content to no longer appear encrypted, then we have some manual methods to be able to decrypt the content.  One of these manual methods is the PGP Viewer feature.

The PGP Viewer functionality allows you to decrypt email messages if Symantec Encryption Desktop Email Encryption is either not integrated into your email client, or if automatic decryption is not possible in some rare circumstances.

 

TIP: For decrypting the text of email manually, you can use the "Clipboard" or "Current Window" functionality.  For more information on these topics, see the following KBs:

180267 - HOW TO: Encrypt/Decrypt Text Using the Current Window feature with Symantec Encryption Desktop (PGP Desktop) for Windows

 

There are cases where emails will not decrypt automatically due to Group Policy configured for Outlook.  For more information on this topic, see the following article:

 

153934 - Encryption Desktop does not automatically decrypt messages in Outlook

Environment

Encryption Desktop 10.3 and above.

Resolution

To use PGP Viewer:

  1. Click on the Start button, open the Symantec Encryption folder and then click on PGP Viewer.
  2. Drag-and-drop an encrypted email message to the PGP Viewer area that states Drag Email or Files here. Alternatively, save the email message to a folder and then click on the Open Message menu option in PGP Viewer to open the message file.
  3. Enter your passphrase if prompted.
  4. The message will be decrypted.
  5. Click on Copy to Inbox to copy a decrypted copy of the message to the Inbox of your email client.

 

 

Additional Information

155681 - How to use Email Encryption with PGP Desktop and Outlook

180267 - HOW TO: Encrypt/Decrypt Text Using the Current Window feature with Symantec Encryption Desktop (PGP Desktop) for Windows

191087 - How to configure Symantec Encryption Desktop to automatically encrypt Gmail in Outlook

153934 - Encryption Desktop does not automatically decrypt messages in Outlook