How to open p7m

Have you received an email with an attachment in p7m format and you have absolutely no idea what it is and how to open p7m files? In fact, few people know about this type of file, but lately it has begun to take hold especially in public administrations.

The good news is that you’ve come to the right place; in a few words, avoiding unnecessary preambles, I will explain how to open files with the extension p7m but first you need to understand what we are talking about, that is what the p7m format is and why it is used.

Index

• What is the p7m format
• How to open p7m
  • InfoCert (Web)
  • PosteCert (Web)
  • Dike (Windows / Mac 7 Linux)
  • P7M Viewer (iOS)
  • Dike GoSign (iOS / Android)

What is the p7m format

First of all let’s try to understand what files with the extension p7m are. Basically p7m files are normal files (for example a pdf document) to which a digital signature has been affixed . Basically the sender through the digital signature certifies the origin and authenticity of the document; p7m files are therefore documents whose origin is certified and signed by the sender. There are several ways and programs to be able to sign a file and then create a p7m file.

Lately p7m files are widely used by institutional sites of public administrations and by various municipalities to put documents on the net that can be downloaded in p7m format.

How to open p7m

But now let’s move on to the core of the discussion and see how to open p7m files. Fortunately, there are several free and easy ways to open p7m files; below I will explain how to open p7m files quickly and easily without having to resort to professional software. I will first list the online services that allow you to open p7m files without having to download and install special programs and later I will explain how to open p7m files with completely free programs and apps.

InfoCert (Web)

If you want to open p7m files without downloading any programs then you can use the InfoCert website . All you have to do is connect to the web page and click on Verify Digital Signature ; then press the Choose File button and select the file with p7m extension. Press the blue button that says I accept and verify . The file will be analyzed and the electronic signature validated; you will have to scroll down the page and press the Save Source button to download the file without electronic signature (the file will be contained in a zip file).

PosteCert (Web)

PosteCert is another web service that allows you to open p7m files. This service is also completely free and is offered by Poste Italiane and its operation is very similar to that seen previously.

Just connect to the service with any web browser and press the button marked Choose file . You will then need to select the .p7m file (the file size must be less than 50MB). Then press the Verify signature button and after a few moments the file (without digital signature) will be automatically downloaded to your computer.

Dike (Windows / Mac 7 Linux)

If you prefer to have a program to open p7m files rather than use a web service then you can use Dike , a program to check files with p7m extension developed directly by Infocert. The program is available for Windows, Mac and Ubuntu. Once you have downloaded and installed Duke on your computer, all you have to do is double-click on the file with the p7m extension to open it, it’s not possible to be simpler!

P7M Viewer (iOS)

To open p7m files on iphone you can use the P7M Viewer app . This app is very simple to use and allows you to open all files signed in P7M format and view their content and certificate.

Dike GoSign (iOS / Android)

Dike GoSign is an app available for iOS and Android that allows you to open files with the extension p7m directly from your smartphone. Not only that, this app also allows you to insert a digital signature on documents.

In conclusion, a file with the extension p7m is a file to which a digital signature has been inserted (more or less as it happens for a pec ). It is possible to open p7m files directly from a computer using the free Dike program or alternatively the free InforCert or PostaCert web services. Files with the p7m extension can also be opened from smartphones via the free Dike GoSign apps or alternatively P7M Viewer.