>>> Blake Ramsdell <BlakeR@deming.com> 11/07/96 06:44pm >>>

[Robert Jueneman <bjueneman@xxxxxxxxxx>]

>>> Blake Ramsdell <BlakeR@deming.com> 11/07/96 06:44pm >>>
Two cents from the S/MIME camp here -- symmetric capabilities are
relayed on a message by message basis, not in the certificate (there is
a SET OF authenticatedAttributes that are signed by the sender, and one
of these is symmetricCapbilities).  The determination of the algorithm
is based on the last-transmitted algorithm capabilities (which reflects
preference order as well as capabilities.)

I haven't tracked S/MIME recently. What happens if you haven't 
communicated with someone yet? Are the current S/MIME 
implementations dependent on a previous message to get
the destination user's certificate?

Can you assess the willingness of the S/MIME vendors to
make use of a symmetricCapabilities in the certificate?

Bob