Delphi ActiveX

Create an Opaque (Attached) S/MIME Signature

Demonstrates the Chilkat Mime.ConvertToSigned method, which creates an opaque (attached) S/MIME signature. The only argument is the signing Cert. On success the entity is replaced by a CMS/PKCS #7 signed-data structure that wraps the content inside the signature.

Note: The file paths are relative to the application's current working directory. Absolute paths may also be used. Supply the paths appropriate to your own environment.

Background: An opaque signature bundles the content inside the CMS structure, so the message is a single application/pkcs7-mime blob that only S/MIME-aware software can read. It is more tamper-resistant in transit — nothing can alter the content without breaking the wrapper — at the cost of the backward compatibility a detached signature offers. Use it when every recipient is known to support S/MIME.

Chilkat Delphi ActiveX Downloads

Download Chilkat for Delphi ActiveX

Delphi ActiveX

var
success: Integer;
mime: TChilkatMime;
pfxPassword: WideString;
cert: TChilkatCert;

begin
success := 0;

mime := TChilkatMime.Create(Self);
success := mime.SetBodyFromPlainText('This message will be signed.');
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(mime.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;
//  Load the signing certificate (which must have access to its private key) from a PFX file.
//  The PFX password should come from a secure source rather than being hard-coded.
pfxPassword := 'myPfxPassword';
cert := TChilkatCert.Create(Self);
success := cert.LoadPfxFile('qa_data/signer.pfx',pfxPassword);
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(cert.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;

//  Create an OPAQUE (attached) S/MIME signature.  The entity is replaced by a CMS/PKCS #7
//  signed-data structure that wraps the content inside the signature.
success := mime.ConvertToSigned(cert.ControlInterface);
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(mime.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;

success := mime.SaveMime('qa_output/signed_opaque.eml');
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(mime.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;
Memo1.Lines.Add('Message converted to an opaque signed message.');