Edited on 2026-06-08: replaced with current state of the discussion.
We want to restructure the verification result messages to put the most important information at the beginning and also make a few text improvements.
Note that we do here no longer use the gpg/gpgsm error messages in the texts, but we still link (via button) to the audit log which contains them.
The parts shown as list items are from the info/help which should be accessible via a button. Each list item represents its own paragraph.
The button for the info should be after the first sentence / part.
V-SUMMARY (!= summary now) it is meant to be: User-ID + creation date (with link to cert details)
Caveat: I did not include expiration of the signature (as opposed to expiration of the signature key), compare T8035.
Certificate for the signature is not available
The signature cannot be verified because the corresponding certificate is not available. The data cannot be trusted. [The signing certificate’s fingerprint is %1. | The signing certificate’s issuer is %1, the S/N is %2.]
- The signing certificate is not present in your certificate list, but it is needed to verify the data.
- What can be done: Ask the sender for the certificate or import it from a file or a keyserver. After import, verify the certificate’s fingerprint and then [certify it | trust its root certificate]. Then verify the data again.
Certificate is available, but ...
The signature does not match (“Bad signature”)
Data and signature do not match. The data cannot be trusted.
The signature claims to be from V-SUMMARY and dated %date+time.
- The data or the signature has been altered. This can happen accidentally (e.g. due to a transmission error), unintentionally (e.g. due to a subsequent change to the data, possibly by an email client), or intentionally (deliberate manipulation).
- What can be done: Ask the sender to resend the data.
The signature certificate has been revoked
It cannot be verified whether the data truly originates from the sender, as the signing certificate has been revoked.
Signed by V-SUMMARY on %date+time.
- The certificate may have been revoked because it was compromised and is now being used by a third party. The data can therefore not be trusted. Technically, signature and data match.
- case trusted:
- What can be done: It is possible that you received the data at a time when the certificate was still valid. If this is the case, the data may be valid. If in doubt, contact the signer to clarify the situation and, if necessary, ask them to resend the data with a current certificate.
- case not trusted:
- What can be done: Ask the sender to resend the data signed with a current certificate.
The signature certificate has expired
The data cannot be trusted because the signing certificate has expired.
Signed by V-SUMMARY on %date+time.
- It is possible that a third party has gained control of the certificate and is sending forged data.
- What can be done: If you received the data at a time when the certificate was still valid, the data may be ok. [CASE *PGP: You might search for an update of the certificate on a keyserver or ask the sender to provide the renewed certificate; then verify the data again. If the sender has a new certificate, you may ask them to provide the data signed with this new certificate.][IN CASE S/MIME: … ask them to send the data signed with the new certificate.]
Note: I'm not sure the above paragraph is strictly true / is not misleading
The signing certificate is not trusted
It cannot be verified whether the data originates from the stated source, because the signing certificate is not trusted.
Signed by V-SUMMARY on %date+time.
- Technically, signature and data match, but the signing certificate is not marked as trusted. Therefore the data cannot be trusted to originate from the stated source.
- What can be done: Verify the certificate’s [fingerprint and certify it | Root-CA fingerprint and trust it]. Then verify the data again.
The certificate is valid and the signature verification was successful
Signature verification was successful.
Signed by V-SUMMARY on %date+time.
- Data and signature match and have been verified.
Addition to all variants (with exception “no certificate”)
"The signature is %1" can expand to:
The signature is not VS-NfD compliant / NATO restricted compliant
The signature was not created in a VS-NfD compliant manner. It must not be used to sign classified information, but it is acceptable for non-classified use. What can be done: For classified communication, ask the signer for a VS-NfD compliant certificate and that they use it for signing in the future.
The signature is VS-NfD compliant - Would need an other tooltip…
As %1 can contain “not”, different tooltips are difficult…
Maybe instead always the same text:
If the signature is not shown as VS-NfD compliant, it must not be used to sign classified information, but it is acceptable for non-classified use. What can be done: For classified communication, ask the signer for a VS-NfD compliant certificate and that they use it for signing.