AIM Encrypt - Free Security Certificate for AIM!
Have you been wondering what those locks next to peoples screen names are?
That means they have an encryption certificate, you can obtain one for free by following the tutorial.


Why do I want AIM Security?
AIM is known to not have the best security, or any for that matter. If someone on your network is using a "packet sniffer" or other type of traffic analyzing tool they can see your AIM conversations and read them word for word. AIM Security using SSL Certificates makes your conversation appear much like trash to anyone analyzing what you type much like "Sw43jg73js7HSkg8Skeq3k65" instead of "Hello Friend". This certificate encodes the message so only the sender and the receiver can read the message. But still please use common sense and don't send credit card numbers, etc. over IM, this should only make you about "this" much safer on the internet, and make you feel cool having a padlock next to your name.

Will this affect any program I currently run?
An AIM Encrypt security certificate will NOT interfere with any program you currently have running with AIM, log managing programs are not affected.

How do I get a FREE Security Certificate from AIMEncrypt.com ?
READ ALL OF THE DIRECTIONS OR YOUR ENCRYPTION CERTIFICATE WILL NOT WORK
Download and be running AIM v5.2+
Download AIM Encrypt signed certificates in a zip file for AIM HERE.
Unzip both of the files to your computer, in a place you will know how to get to. My Documents is easiest. (*no you cannot run them from the zip.) If you have Windows XP open/double click AIMEncrypt.zip and drag the files into My Documents.
Go into the folder you downloaded the files to (ex: My Documents), and double click on the file with the .crt extension (AIMEncrypt_com.crt).
On the dialog that opens up, click Install Certificate.
Click Next on any following dialog box.
Click Finish on the last dialog box.
It should say "The import was successful" click Ok.
Click ok on the remaining box titled "Certificate."
In your buddy list, go to My AIM > Edit Options > Edit Preferences.
On the Category list on the side, select Security (it is the last one on the list).
Click the Advanced button.
Click the Import button under "Import a certificate."
Change "Files of type:" to PFX Files (*.pfx)
Browse to where you saved to two files (ex: My Documents), and select the .pfx file listed, and click Open.
When it asks for a "security" password, leave both fields blank and press ok. (If you type something in, it will be required to be typed into AIM every time it is ran, DO NOT FORGET WHAT YOU TYPE IN if you do [don't type anything in])
When it asks for the password of the certificate, enter "g8dJ82kjfjq32h" without the quotes.
Check the box next to "This certificate can identify mail users." and press ok.
Click ok on all dialogs that come up, until you see one that says Certificate successfully imported, click OK on that one too.
Press OK on any remaining dialogs so you return to AIM.

AIMEncrypt.com's certificate or any other that anyone can download is a very insecure way to do encryption in AIM. Knowing the internals of public-key cryptography, everyone with the same key really isn't secure. You can do encryption with OpenSSL securely instead.

Creating certificates with OpenSSL on Linux/Unix platforms are quite easy. But if you're using Windows, not all hope is lost. I've looked everywhere for instructions to create your own self-signed certificate, and since there isn't really a page out there that did it, I wrote my own.

Here are some instructions to create your own self-signed certificate for AIM. You don't need anything special, I put up the binary that allows you to do it with OpenSSL. You can use any OpenSSL binary, I provide instructions on how to use your own binary as well. If the instructions scare you, there will be a program provided that can do it all for you. It asks you for some info you want in your certificate, and with a few clicks, you'll be on your way.


Then, after you create the .p12 package that AIM accepts, just import it and tell me what you think


URL is at:

http://secure.sylikc.net:8080/self_signed/
or just http://sylikc.net/?secure, and find the HOWTO on the bottom.

Now then you won't have to use a freely downloadable (insecure) certificate, just DIY.