Release-signing identifies the publisher of a kernel-mode binary (for example, driver or .dll) that loads into Windows Vista and later versions of Windows. Kernel-mode binaries are release-signed through either:

• A WHQL Release Signature obtained through the Windows Logo Program.
• A release signature created through a Software Publisher Certificate (SPC).

To understand the steps that are involved in release-signing driver packages, review the following topics:

Introduction to Release-Signing

This topic describes the reasons why release-signing a driver package is important, and provides a high-level summary of the release-signing process.

How to Release-Sign a Driver Package

This topic provides a high-level overview of the release-signing process, and reviews many examples of release-signing by using the ToastPkg sample driver package within the Windows Driver Kit (WDK).