ssllogic

Code Signing Certificate – Assurance of Integrity

Using a Code Signing Certificate allows you to digitally sign software or ActiveX applications, so your customers can be certain that your software actually came from you. Code Signing is used to protect software and source monitoring. Using Code Signing is a software program developed with the use of macro, applet, ActiveX component, driver or other executable by the developer. The aim is to create a digital signature.

The SSL certificate is used to ensure the safety of data of the clients on the web while Code Signing Certificate helps software developers/owner of the software.

Customers who see a digitally signed ActiveX, Java applets, DLLs, HTML, Cab or. Jar files downloaded from your website can be assured that it comes from you and not damaged or changed by others. Code signing is like a box for your code where your customer can see that your software is in its original condition. Once you have your code with your Code Signing certificate third parties cannot change your files. If there is any break in the certificate your customers will know that the file has been tampered with.

Using the code signing certificate, your customers are assured of:

• Source: End users can be sure that the code comes from one who has signed the software.
• Integrity: End users can be sure that the file has not been changed by third parties in any way whatsoever.

Code signing is done by using public key encryption. The encryption of code signing is usually done using RSA encryption. Asymmetric cryptography uses two different keys, along the 'key pair:

• Private Key: Only known to the owner of the key. The private key can decode encrypted messages, and sign messages.
• Public Key: Available for everyone. The public key digital signatures can be verified.

The generated digital signature serves sufficient information to verify the signer in addition to ensure that there has been no subsequent alteration of a code.