How To Choose A Thawte Code Signing Ssl Certificate

By Author: Daren Bresnen
Total Articles: 17
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Microsoft released Windows XP SP2 several years ago, but so far only a few software publishers digitally sign their products to enable Windows to authenticate the publisher. When someone downloads the software, which was not signed, the browser displays a message stating that the publisher cannot be verified and the application cannot be trusted.

Developers are hoping that users will dismiss these warnings with "OK". But it may be a false assumption, as people become more conscious of safety. Software Publisher's Certificate (or code-signing certificate) may seem an undesirable expense, but you only need to make a few extra sales a year to justify it.

Code signing and Authenticode, to use the name of the implementation of Microsoft, this is a technology based on standard methods of encryption. The two keys are generated. One key is used to encrypt information and the other should be used to decrypt. Encryption key is stored in private, and is known as the private key. Decryption key can be made public.

If a program or file is signed, the tool creates a Thawte Code Signing Certificate ...
... a one-way hash of the contents of the file. It's a big number, which for all practical purposes, unique to the file that caused it. This value is then encrypted using the private key and stored with the public key and digital certificate in the file. When someone opens the file, his computer and creates a hash of the content. At the same time, it decrypts the encrypted hash using the public key and compares the results. If they match, the signature is valid and the file has not been modified since the signature was added.

Digital signatures provide an opportunity to prove the integrity of the file. In the case of software, it has the advantage that it can be shown that the file is not infected with the virus, since it was created. It would, of course, possible for someone infected with a virus program and then sign it. Therefore, an important additional function of a digital signature Authenticode, it can also check out who is the publisher of the software, and that he is a publisher, you can trust.

To this end, the digital signature against the signed by a trusted certification authority whose job it is to verify the integrity of the companies and individuals that apply for code signing certificates, before they were issued. Windows will only trust certificates signed by one of three certification authorities of Thawte Code Signing SSL Certificate Verisign, Thawte and Comodo.

When buying a code signing certificate, you will be asked to provide documentary evidence that you know who will show you your certificate to be. This prevents malicious individuals to obtain certificates that would allow them to claim their software came from Microsoft, or any other reputable company.

Manual checks necessary to verify the identity of applicants for this reason, the code signing certificates seem to be expensive. However, the cost is actually a small price for a measure that helps to establish trust between you and your clients, and which will contribute to more potential customers for the installation of free food court with confidence.