Code signing certificate marks the application with a digital signature in a coding type that verifies the software author and offers a guarantee that the code is unique and not tainted. Unsigned software faces many obstacles like unauthorized identity, spyware, malware, harmful code. Once a code signing process did the customer gain trust in the author and downloads the software easily. Code signing feature warns the installer if the publisher could not be found trustworthy. Code signing feature adds an extra level of faith to the application installation process.
Code signing operation can flawlessly be incorporated with the application and abolish the physical signing saddle for developers. There exist many code signing authorities but DigiCert and Comodo are the most trusted certificate authorities. Such security removes the Unknown Publisher pop-up in internet explorer and window OS. Developers should have the ability to catch defective or compromised code without disturbing legitimate applications of other developers.
Due to the spread of Wi-Fi technology, It is arduous to decide the identity of publishers not affect a single user’s Smartphone but can hazardous to the entire network and welcome malicious subscribers to harass by interrupting service and can harm the network provider’s reputation. New mobile software platform such as window Mobile 7 has applied code signing technology to control the software permission on the network.
For a digital signature, one should deliver a public and private key. Private Key practiced to sign up the data and the Public key enforced to affirm the significance of the data. Here two identities should clear as publishers who create and signs software with code signing certificates and Distributors who publish software to users.
How Code Signing works:
- Certificate Authority (CA) authenticates a developer’s identity.
- CA issue the developer a development ID utilize for sign code.
- Developer utilizes ID to sign the data file of an application and send to CA.
- Finally, authenticated content is ready to deal out.
Benefits of Code Signing Security:
- Customer affirms confidence that code is downloaded is authenticated and not corrupted.
- Code signing security enhances reputation of business as applications are in well form of validation.
- It smoothly integrated with browsers as per industry standard technology.
- It is comfy to employ with software tools created by developers.
- It is easy available from various online certificate providers.
- User can well detect by pop up whether software is from valid publisher or not.
- It is functional in major languages with less cost and high scalability.
Many CA now frees the developer to recall a key by developing cloud protection where the developer uploads an application and the system will uphold the key for a lifetime hence future time developer has to submit only the newest edition of the application and the key will identify the developer.
