The Deal with Code Signing Certificates

Whether you have an interest in modern technology or if you’re planning on dipping your toes into developing software for consumer use, you’ll probably already have an idea of secure socket layer (SSL) protection and the importance of a code signing certificate to guarantee authenticity of software. The purpose of code signing certificates is to help verify the author of the code so that you can be sure it won’t have been meddled with. Particularly important in the world of tablets and mobile devices, when downloading software is a common occurrence in the form of apps; the code signing certificate confirms that the details given by this software are genuine and the app isn’t malicious.

While SSL certificates are a popular commodity for online businesses who provide a service or product, code signing provides similar protection to software developers during code deployment. Code is ‘signed’ using a private and a public key to confirm that at no point during the build has there been any malicious activity. So, from the developer’s point of view, every time a change is made to the code, it’s signed off using the private key to ensure continued confidence in the security of the code.

When authorship isn’t as obvious, or when updates and patches for existing programmes are needed, code signing is an essential tool. By signing these updates, the developer can confirm that the code isn’t corrupt and unscrupulous activity hasn’t occurred. As a consumer, you can be safe in the knowledge that the product can be trusted and can be installed onto your device without worrying about attacks or compromise.

Purchasing such certificates and public/private keys from reputable certificate authorities will guarantee the utmost confidence. It’s worth investing in a code signing certificate from a respected company so that the risk of compromise isn’t a cause for concern.