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Outlook S/MIME certificate error -- used to work, suddenly "Your Digital ID name cannot be found..."

Anonymous
2021-03-03T01:02:41+00:00

Suddenly experiencing an inability to open S/MIME encrypted emails -- both recently received and older messages as well.  Receiving the error "Sorry, we're having trouble opening this item. This could be temporary, but if you see it again you might want to restart Outlook. Your Digital ID name cannot be found by the underlying security system."

Event viewer shows 

Sorry, we're having trouble opening this item. This could be temporary, but if you see it again you might want to restart Outlook. Your Digital ID name cannot be found by the underlying security system.  

   300032  

   16.0.13127.21216  

   xyfi 

   0x80090020  

When I started experiencing this, nothing I'm aware of had changed in the certificate store, Outlook setup, or Windows setup.  Windows 10, Outlook 16.0.13127.21216.

Tried a new Outlook profile.

Tried deleting and reloading my personal cert.

I did find this MS article and this similar article -- but these are sender-side fixes; I can't fix all the world's senders and I need to read my old emails as well.

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For home

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  1. Anonymous
    2021-03-06T10:44:07+00:00

    Hi Laird,

    Thanks for the update. May I know whether this issue happen with any other users in your organization?

    If the issue doesn't happen with any other user, you may please try to troubleshoot this issue via using another PC (e.g. any non-problematic colleague’s PC) to determine whether it is specific client side issue.

    Moreover, if the issue happen with all the users in your organization, I have replied in the private message please check the information at your convenience.

    Here is the link to access private message: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/privatemessage/inbox

    Your time and understanding will be highly appreciated. Have a nice day and stay safe!

    Best regards,

    Shyamal

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  2. Anonymous
    2021-03-04T22:07:49+00:00

    Shaymal, thank you for your response. (I am the organization tech leader, and an org and O365 admin, fyi.)

    I tried downgrading to 16.0.12527.21594 and am experiencing the same inability to read older and recent messages. I am able to open a test message sent by an in-organization colleague, but not any of the messages sent by external contacts, including messages I was previously able to open.

    Sorry, we're having trouble opening this item. This could be temporary, but if you see it again you might want to restart Outlook. Your Digital ID name cannot be found by the underlying security system.

    300032

    16.0.12527.21594

    xyfi

    0x80090020

    The OWA experience is the same:

    The S/MIME message wasn't decrypted successfully. No certificate was found. If you have a smart card-based certificate, insert the card and try again.

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  3. Anonymous
    2021-03-03T06:06:18+00:00

    Hi Laird,

    Thank you for posting your issue on Microsoft Community forum. May I know whether this issue recently happen after update to the Outlook desktop client version 16.0.13127.21216 you mentioned?

    You may try to check whether you can open S/MIME Encrypt emails via using Outlook Web App (https://outlook.office.com) without any issue. For your reference : Reading encrypted and digitally signed messages

    Does this issue happen with every sender S/MIME encrypted emails or specific sender S/MIME encrypted email?

    However, I notice that you have already tried new Outlook profile/deleting and reloading personal certificate. If the issue happen after update to current latest version 16.0.13127.21216 Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel. You may use the workaround revert to earlier workable version if it is acceptable for you here is the steps listed: How to revert to an earlier version of Office

    Note: If your IT team manage your Office 365 installation, you may need to contact them for revert version and further assistance.

    In the meantime, we will keep doing some research on our side to see if we can find any recent information about the issue. Once we receive any update, we will post back.

    Your patience and cooperation are highly appreciated. Have a nice day and stay safe!

    Best regards,

    Shyamal

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