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Code Signing Certificate Code Signing Certificate

Code Signing Certificate

Code Signing Certificate is designed to protect software script and code from potential alteration from 3rd party entities. With encrypted digital signature, the certificate gives users assurance that they are downloading authenticate software and offers a complete protection to your code against tampering. If you expect many people to use your software, Code Signing certificate deserves it!

Code Signing Certificates

Summary

What does Code Signing Certificate do?

Assure code integrity

Assure code integrity

Code Signing Certificate assures the code is not altered or tempered by since it is digitally signed by the certificate authority. The CA offers private key for software making and the public key for users.

Determine publisher identity

Determine publisher identity

Certificate undertakes organization verification to prove that software code is signed with strong hashing and coming from a trusted and authenticated publisher and is safe to download.

Remove unknown warnings

Remove unknown warnings

With Code Signing certificate, there will be no warning of “Unknown Publisher” hence; software users will get confidence about code integrity and avoid unauthorized download.

Enhance publisher’s reputation

Enhance publisher’s reputation

When authenticated publishers distribute their software with a digital signature, the certificate helps them gain the trust and confidence of consumer. What’s more, it is conducive to boosting downloads and installs.

Why are Code Signing Certificates required?

no-code-signing-means-unknown-publisher-warning

Executing software without code signing will be reminded automatically unknown publisher warning. The warning dialog may scare your users and even they don’t utilize it any more.

secure-downloads-with-code-signing-certificate

Code Signing certificate ensures that code is from the original publisher. It removes the ‘Unknown publisher’ warning, offers a smooth user experience and helps to increase the downloads of software.

What do I benefit from Code Signing Certificate?

FAQs on Code Signing Certificate

Q

What is Code Signing?

A

Code signing is the process of authenticating software code/application/program/scripts to confirm the original publisher and assure that the code has not been tampered or altered since it was signed.

Q

Are there different types of code signing certificates?

A

Yes. There are two types: Organization Validation (OV) Code Signing Certificate (also named Standard Code Signing) and Extended Validation (EV) Code Signing Certificate.

Q

What is the difference between OV and EV code signing certificate?

A

OV code signing certificate

  • You can sign your code in OV code signing certificate, which will indicate your organization as a publisher in your software.
  • It does show a SmartScreen popup while installation, which asks you to confirm if you want to proceed further but will not be a warning. The software reputation will be built organically as the files/software downloads increases.

EV code signing certificate

  • EV code signing requires more extensive vetting, and your private key is stored on an external hardware token for better security. This is a great option for newer developers.
  • It does not show any popup. EV code signing offers an immediate acknowledgement with Microsoft SmartScreen reputation scanner. So, it’s a guarantee that users won’t see an unknown publisher warning message.
Q

How to choose code signing certificate?

A
  • First of all, you shall confirm what type code signing certificate meets your needs. If you are not unclear about them, please see the differences between OV and EV code signing certificates.
  • Second, it comes to code signing brands. We offer globally well-known certificates authorities, such as Digicert, Sectigo, Globalsign, Thawte, etc.
  • To many users, Sectigo is almost synonymous with cheap code signing certificates.
  • Compared to Sectigo, the code singing certificates from Digicert may seem expensive, but the value and features they bring, far outweigh the price tag.
  • Whatever certificate you purchase from nicsrs.com, you can save a considerable amount of money on each code signing certificate when you buy them for multiple years.