Skip to content

Compatibility and requirements Receiving and mailing IncaMail messages

Compatibility and requirements

Receiving IncaMail messages

In principle, anyone with an e-mail address can receive “confidential”, “personal” and “registered” IncaMail messages. Business customers receive IncaMail messages signed and already decrypted. All other recipients receive an e-mail from Swiss Post containing a “Read” button. To open the message on any device, be it your desktop or a mobile device, simply click on the button.

Note: unregistered recipients of a “confidential” IncaMail message have the option of registering. Registration and a one-off approval are required in order to receive “personal” and “registered” IncaMail messages.
E-mail program on a desktop

All new e-mail programs in Windows, macOS, Linux, etc. can open IncaMail messages. These include

 

  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Mozilla Thunderbird
  • Apple Mail
  • Lotus Notes
  • etc.

 

Note: The message might not contain a “Read” button. In this case, you can open the IncaMail message simply by clicking on the IncaMail.html attachment.

 

If the HTML attachment cannot be opened directly in the e-mail program, save the attachment on the desktop then open the saved version in the browser.

Webmail interface

All current webmailers can open an IncaMail message using the “Read” button. These include

 

  • Gmail
  • Outlook.com
  • Outlook on the web
  • Bluewin
  • etc.

 

Note: The message might not contain a “Read” button. In this case, you can open the IncaMail message simply by clicking on the IncaMail.html attachment.

 

If the HTML attachment cannot be opened directly in the webmail interface, save the attachment separately then open this saved version in the browser.

Browsers

All modern desktop browsers can open IncaMail messages, such as

 

  • Google Chrome
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Apple Safari
  • Opera
  • etc.

Mailing IncaMail messages

There are three ways of sending secure IncaMail messages:
  • via the IncaMail web interface (for private users and teams);
  • via add-ins with current e-mail clients such as Outlook, Office 365 etc. (organizations with e-mail infrastructure connected directly to IncaMail);
  • via business software with IncaMail integration, e.g. for mailing payslips 
Web interface

Sending via the IncaMail web interface works with all common and current desktop and mobile browsers, such as:

 

  • Google Chrome
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Apple Safari
  • Opera
  • etc.

 

Note: in the IncaMail web interface, it is possible to consult a log with the protocols of all messages sent and received together with their status (tracking).

Integration of the e-mail infrastructure

Organizations can connect their e-mail infrastructure directly to IncaMail’s MGI (mail gateway integration) service. The incoming and outgoing communication uses encrypted channels. Unlike personal and registered messages, confidential messages can be signed in the mailbox, but are delivered unencrypted and can thus be searched for and archived in the e-mail client. For MGI, a valid SSL certificate is required.

 

The encrypted communication between the IncaMail service and the e-mail infrastructure takes place via “TLS with mutual authentication”, “enforced TLS” or “domain security”. Depending on the system, the communication can use the IncaMail server directly or an available mail gateway. In this case, “SSL termination” takes place.

 

IncaMail works with all modern mail systems (mail server or mail gateway), which support the following functions:

 

  • SMTP via port 25 with TLS (if necessary enable via firewall)
  • “TLS with mutual authentication”, “enforced TLS” or “domain security” can be activated
  • Administration of own SSL certificate for STARTTLS
    • Important: only valid certificates from a recognized CA and registered with IncaMail will be accepted. In case of doubt, please contact us.
  • Use of root certificate lists for common operating systems or option of registering (Truststore) for the Swisssign certificate of the IncaMail service (e.g. for Cisco Ironport)
  • Internet connection without restrictions on TCP port 25

Most common mail servers (e.g. Microsoft Exchange) and mail gateways (e.g. Cisco Ironport, Fortinet Fortimail etc.) satisfy these criteria.

 

For the following e-mail clients, free MGI add-ins are available:

 

  • Outlook
  • Outlook on the web


Notes: for all other e-mail clients (e.g. Apple Mail), the user must attach “.incamail.ch” to the recipient e-mail address, so that the message is delivered by IncaMail.

Business software integration

Many software manufacturers support IncaMail directly via their programs. These include numerous HR solutions for mailing confidential payslips.

 

The IT infrastructure requirements depend on how the business software communicates with IncaMail. There are three different types:

 

  1. SMTP with TLS auth: the IncaMail service is registered as an SMTP server. Communication via port 25 (smtp) of the business software to the IncaMail service must be enabled (firewall)
  2. SOAP: communication via port 443 (https) of the business software to the IncaMail service must be enabled (firewall)
  3. MGI: see e-mail infrastructure integration