SignTool
The SignTool tool is a command-line tool that digitally signs files, verifies signatures in files, or time stamps files. For information about why signing files is important, see Introduction to Code Signing. The tool is installed in the \Bin folder of the Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) installation path.
SignTool is available as part of the Windows SDK, which you can download from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=84091.
Here is the syntax for SignTool:
signtool [Command][Options][FileName …]
The following commands are supported by SignTool.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| catdb |
Adds or removes a catalog file to or from a catalog database. |
| sign |
Digitally signs files. |
| signwizard |
This command is not supported.
|
| timestamp |
Time stamps files. |
| verify |
Verifies the digital signature of files. |
The following options apply to the catdb command.
| Catdb option | Description |
|---|---|
| /d |
Specifies that the default catalog database be updated. If neither the /d nor /g option is used, SignTool updates the system component and driver database. |
| /g GUID |
Specifies that the catalog database identified by the GUID be updated. |
| /r |
Removes the specified catalog from the catalog database. If this option is not specified, SignTool will add the specified catalog to the catalog database. |
| /u |
Specifies that a unique name be automatically generated for the added catalog files. If necessary, the catalog files are renamed to prevent name conflicts with existing catalog files. If this option is not specified, SignTool overwrites any existing catalog that has the same name as the catalog being added. |
Note Catalog databases are used for automatic lookup of catalog files.
The following options apply to the sign command.
| Sign option | Description |
|---|---|
| /a |
Selects the best signing certificate automatically. If this option is not present, SignTool expects to find only one valid signing certificate. |
| /ac FileName |
Specifies a file that contains an additional certificate to add to the signature block. |
| /c CertTemplateName |
Specifies the Certificate Template Name (a Microsoft extension) for the signing certificate. |
| /csp CSPName |
Specifies the cryptographic service provider (CSP) that contains the private key container. |
| /d Desc |
Specifies a description of the signed content. |
| /du URL |
Specifies a URL for expanded description of the signed content. |
| /f SignCertFile |
Specifies the signing certificate in a file. Only the Personal Information Exchange (PFX) file format is supported. You can use the PVK2PFX.exe tool to convert SPC and PVK files to PFX format. If the file is in PFX format protected by a password, use the /p option to specify the password. If the file does not contain private keys, use the /csp and /k options to specify the CSP and private key container name, respectively. |
| /i IssuerName |
Specifies the name of the issuer of the signing certificate. This value can be a substring of the entire issuer name. |
| /fd |
Specifies the file digest algorithm to use to create file signatures. The default algorithm is Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA-1).
|
| /j DLL |
This flag is not supported.
|
| /jp ParameterName |
This flag is not supported.
|
| /k PrivKeyContainerName |
Specifies the private key container name. |
| /kc Name |
Specifies the key that contains the name of the private key. |
| /n SubjectName |
Specifies the name of the subject of the signing certificate. This value can be a substring of the entire subject name. |
| /nph |
If supported, suppresses page hashes for executable files. The default behavior is determined by the SIGNTOOL_PAGE_HASHES environment variable and by the Wintrust.dll version. This option is ignored for non-PE files. |
| /p Password |
Specifies the password to use when opening a PFX file. A PFX file can be specified by using the /f option. For information about protecting passwords, see Handling Passwords. |
| /ph |
If supported, generates page hashes for executable files. This option is ignored for non-PE files. |
| /r RootSubjectName |
Specifies the name of the subject of the root certificate that the signing certificate must chain to. This value can be a substring of the entire subject name of the root certificate. |
| /s StoreName |
Specifies the store to open when searching for the certificate. If this option is not specified, the My store is opened. |
| /sha1 Hash |
Specifies the SHA1 hash of the signing certificate. |
| /sm |
Specifies that a computer store, instead of a user store, be used. |
| /snk FileName |
This flag is not supported.
|
| /sncsp Name |
This flag is not supported.
|
| /snkc Name |
This flag is not supported.
|
| /snks {1|2} |
This flag is not supported.
|
| /t URL |
Specifies the URL of the time stamp server. If this option is not present, then the signed file will not be time stamped. A warning is generated if time stamping fails. |
| /td alg |
Used with the /tr switch to request a digest algorithm used by the RFC 3161 time stamp server.
|
| /tr URL |
Specifies the RFC 3161 time stamp server's URL. If this option (or /t) is not specified, the signed file will not be time stamped. A warning is generated if time stamping fails. This switch cannot be used with the /t switch.
|
| /u Usage |
Specifies the enhanced key usage (EKU) that must be present in the signing certificate. The usage value can be specified by OID or string. The default usage is "Code Signing" (1.3.6.1.5.5.7.3.3). |
| /uw |
Specifies using "Windows System Component Verification" (1.3.6.1.4.1.311.10.3.6). |
The following option applies to the timestamp command.
| Timestamp option | Description |
|---|---|
| /t URL |
Required. Specifies the URL of the time stamp server. The file being time stamped must have previously been signed. |
The following options apply to the verify command.
| Verify option | Description |
|---|---|
| /a |
Specifies that all methods can be used to verify the file. First, the catalog databases are searched to determine whether the file is signed in a catalog. If the file is not signed in any catalog, SignTool attempts to verify the file's embedded signature. This option is recommended when verifying files that may or may not be signed in a catalog. Examples of files that may or may not be signed include Windows files or drivers. |
| /ad |
Finds the catalog by using the default catalog database. |
| /as |
Finds the catalog by using the system component (driver) catalog database. |
| /ag CatDBGUID |
Finds the catalog in the catalog database identified by the GUID. |
| /c CatFile |
Specifies the catalog file by name. |
| /d |
Print the description and description URL.
|
| /kp |
Performs the verification by using the x64 kernel-mode driver signing policy. |
| /o Version |
Verifies the file by operating system version. The version parameter is of the form: PlatformID:VerMajor.VerMinor.BuildNumber |
| /pa |
Specifies that the Default Authentication Verification Policy is used. If the /pa option is not specified, SignTool uses the Windows Driver Verification Policy. This option cannot be used with the catdb options. |
| /pg PolicyGUID |
Specifies a verification policy by GUID. The GUID corresponds to the ActionID of the verification policy. This option cannot be used with the catdb options. |
| /ph |
Print and verify page hash values.
|
| /r RootSubjectName |
Specifies the name of the subject of the root certificate that the signing certificate must chain to. This value can be a substring of the entire subject name of the root certificate. |
| /tw |
Specifies that a warning is generated if the signature is not time stamped. |
The following options apply to all SignTool commands.
| Global option | Description |
|---|---|
| /q |
No output on successful execution and minimal output for failed execution. |
| /v |
Verbose output for successful execution, failed execution, and warning messages. |
The SignTool verify command determines whether the signing certificate was issued by a trusted authority, whether the signing certificate has been revoked, and, optionally, whether the signing certificate is valid for a specific policy.
SignTool returns an exit code of zero for successful execution, one for failed execution, and two for execution that completed with warnings. If the SignTool encounters an unhandled exception, however, the return value is undefined.
The following command line shows signing a file automatically using the best certificate.
signtool sign /a MyFile.exe
Note When signing an executable file that is larger than approximately 300 megabytes for use on a computer running Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) and later, you should use catalog signing with the MakeCat tool rather than use the SignTool tool. Depending on the available system resources of the computer on which the file is verified, some applications may not be able to verify the binary signature of a large file. For more information, see KB article 922225.
Send comments about this topic to Microsoft
Build date: 3/6/2012
Is there a different signtool for signing WEH 6.5.3 assemblies?
- 5/24/2012
- Timothy Moeller
- 5/24/2012
- Timothy Moeller
Binaries signed without the "/d" flag show an "unknown" publisher on Windows 8 consumer preview edition while the UAC shows no error on Windows 7.
Adding the /d flag makes the UAC look good and the same on both Windows 7 and Windows 8.
However the description is not shown on Windows 8, so I don't understand why it is needed.
- 4/15/2012
- vletoux2
- 3/28/2011
- WagenS
- 6/3/2011
- yolandasilverboot
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Thank you.
- 8/5/2010
- Jo Lines - MSFT
signtool.exe /f mypfx.pfx /t myapp.exe
SignTool Error: Invalid command: /f
- 7/7/2010
- Dar at VES
- 7/18/2010
- Thomas Lee
- 2/22/2010
- Sheng Jiang 蒋晟
http://blogs.msdn.com/maartenb/archive/2009/07/23/performance-impact-of-integritycheck.aspx
** note to MSDN, in the "Tags:", I attempted to whitespace speoprate page and hashes to be reflective of it's desgignation by signtool but was unable too.
http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220060089942%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20060089942&RS=DN/20060089942
;)
