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How to Backup Your Digital ID Certificate

Your VeriSign digital ID certificate is stored and accessible via the browser software on your PC. The NRC recommends and supports use of the Microsoft Internet Explorer browser (versions 5 and 6), other web browsers may or many not be fully compatible with NRC electronic systems. NRC's digital certificates can be exported from one PC and imported into a different PC. Exporting a certificate does not delete the existing copy but instead makes a duplicate/backup copy. Depending upon the export and import options chosen you can either make a limited copy or a fully functioning copy that can be duplicated. We recommend making at least one full copy as your backup and storing it on a disk drive other than drive C: where your working digital certificate is typically stored. We recommend using the high security setting on your digital ID certificate. You are not allowed to share a digital ID certificate or its password with anyone. Your VeriSign digital ID certificate is installed into your browser.

Export Your Certificate From the Internet Explorer Browser

1. Open your web browser (Internet Explorer)
2. Click on the "Tools" menu option
3. Click on the "Internet Options" menu option in the Tools menu
4. Select the "Content" tab and click on the "Certificates" button
5. Select your certificate and click on the "Export" button
6. In the Export Wizard screen, click on the "Next >" button
7. Since "Yes, export the private key" is the default, click on the "Next >" button
8. In the Certificate Export File Format screen select "Personal Information Exchange and check the box "Include all certificates in the certificate path if possible" and check the box "Enable strong protection (requires IE 5.0, NT 5.0 or above)". Then click on the "Next >" button
9. Type in an export/import password twice and click on the "Next >" button.
10. Enter the directory where the certificate is to be stored, name the file, and click on the "Next >" button. The file's extension or "Save as Type" is Personal Information Exchange (*.pfx).
11. Click on the "Finish" button to complete the Certificate Manager Export Wizard.
12. Click on the "Set Security Level" button
13. Click on the "High" radio button. This will activate password protection for your digital id certificate. Click the "Next >" button to continue.
14. Enter the new password twice and then click on the "Finish" button.
15. Click on the "OK" button this time since you have already set your certificate's security level to high and created a password.

For detailed certificate export instructions including screen shots see Appendix D NRC's Digital IDs Guide .

Import Your Certificate to Another PC with the Windows XP Operating System and Internet Explorer

1. Open Internet Explore and choose the "Internet Options…" option from the "Tools" pull menu.
2. Select the "Content" tab and click on the "Certificates" button.
3. Select your certificate and click on the "Import…" button.
4. Click on the "Next >" button in the Import Wizard.
5. Enter the directory where the certificate is stored and click on the "Next >" button. If browsing choose Files of type: "Personal Information Exchange (*.pfx)"
6. Check the "Enable strong private key protection" option.
7. Check the "Mark the private key as exportable" option
8. Enter the export/import password created during the certificate export process
9. Click on the "Next >" button.
10. Make sure the "Place all certificates into the following store" with Certificate Store: "Personal" is checked and then click on the "Next >" button.
11. Click on the "Finish" button to exit the Import Wizard
12. Click on the "Set Security Level" button (if you get the "Creating a new RSA exchange key" pop-up window).
13. Click on the "High" radio button. This will activate password protection for your digital id certificate. Click the "Next >" button to continue.
14. Enter the new password twice and then click on the "Finish" button.
15. Click on the "OK" button this time since you have already set your certificate's security level to high and created a password.

For detailed certificate import instructions including screen shots see Appendix E NRC's Digital IDs Guide .

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Tuesday, February 13, 2007