Free code signing certificate and certificate chain for signing an ActiveX component in Windows

All feedback and comments should be directed to support@versinique.com

Problem Overview

You want to try out code signing now, but don't want to go into using command line tools to generate the certificates

Solution Overview

  • Email to receive the code signing password from an autoresponding email address
  • Download and install the simplecodesigning.com certificates from the links below
  • Install the Microsoft SDK
  • Sign the ActiveX component with Microsoft Code Signing Tool

Limitations

Once signed you can distribute the ActiveX component to any user, BUT the user must install certificate chain.

If you want users to install an ActiveX component without the Root and Intermediate certificates then buy a code-signing certificate online from Thawte or Verisign.

Step 1 : Email to autoresponder for code signing password

Step 2 : Download the Certificates and install

  • [Click here to download Free Simple Code Signing Certificates]
  • Launch Internet Explorer
  • Select Tools->Internet Options from the menu bar
  • Select Content Tab
  • Click CERTIFICATES
  • Select the Trusted Root Certification Authorities Tab
  • Click IMPORT
  • Click NEXT>
  • Click BROWSE to locate the simplecodesigning.pfx (maybe simplecodesigning.p12) file recently downloaded
  • Click OPEN
  • Click NEXT>
  • Enter the export password retrieved above and click NEXT>
  • Ensure Automatically Select the Certificate Store Based On the Certificate Type is selected
  • Click NEXT>
  • Click FINISH
  • Click YES to trust ca.simplecodesigning.com
  • Click OK
  • Verify that ca.simplecodesigning.com is in the list of Trusted Root Certification Authorities
  • Verify that codesign.simplecodesigning.com is in the list of Personal Certificates

Step 3 : Download and install the Microsoft SDK

Step 4 : Sign ActiveX CAB file (or exe etc)

  • Open a DOS Command Prompt
  • Change to the SDK binaries directory. Type
    CD c:\program files\microsoft platform sdk\bin
  • Launch the signing tool wizard. Type
    signtool signwizard
  • Click NEXT
  • Browse and select the ActiveX component to sign
  • Click NEXT
  • Click TYPICAL
  • Click NEXT
  • Click SELECT FROM STORE
  • Highlight the codesign.simplecodesigning.com certificate
  • Click OK
  • Click NEXT
  • Click NEXT
  • Click NEXT
  • Click FINISH
  • Click OK

Step 5 : STOP! DANGER!

Please remember that this certificate chain is available for download by anybody on the internet. So either
(a) Ensure that you do not automatically trust ALL simplecodesigning.com ActiveX components when you install your signed ActiveX component, or
(b) Delete the ca.simplecodesigning.com and codesign.simplecodesigning.com certificates when you have finished testing

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