CodeSign Perl Reference Documentation
CkCodeSign
Current Version: 11.5.0
Chilkat.CodeSign
Apply Authenticode signatures to Windows executable files using a
certificate and associated private key.
Check whether a signed executable has a valid signature and whether the
signing certificate chain can be trusted.
Extract details about the Authenticode signature, including signer
information and signature-related metadata.
Get the certificate used to sign the executable and inspect it with
Remove an existing Authenticode signature from a Windows executable when
an unsigned output file is required.
Use detailed diagnostic output to troubleshoot signing, certificate,
trust-chain, timestamping, or validation problems.
For an extended overview, see
CodeSign Class Overview.
Sign, verify, inspect, and remove Authenticode signatures on Windows executables.
Chilkat.CodeSign works directly with Authenticode signatures on
Windows executable files such as .exe and .dll.
It provides functionality for applying a code-signing signature, validating
whether a signed executable can be trusted, extracting signature information,
retrieving the signer certificate, and removing an existing signature.
Sign EXE and DLL files
Validate trust
Inspect signatures
Retrieve signer certificates
Chilkat.Cert.
Remove signatures
Diagnostics
.exe or .dll, optionally add
timestamping if supported by the signing workflow, then verify the resulting
signature and inspect diagnostics if validation does not succeed.
Object Creation
$obj = chilkat::CkCodeSign->new();
Properties
DebugLogFilePath
# $ckStr is a CkString
$codeSign->get_DebugLogFilePath($ckStr);
$strVal = $codeSign->debugLogFilePath();
$codeSign->put_DebugLogFilePath($strVal);
If set to a file path, this property logs the LastErrorText of each Chilkat method or property call to the specified file. This logging helps identify the context and history of Chilkat calls leading up to any crash or hang, aiding in debugging.
Enabling the VerboseLogging property provides more detailed information. This property is mainly used for debugging rare instances where a Chilkat method call causes a hang or crash, which should generally not happen.
Possible causes of hangs include:
- A timeout property set to 0, indicating an infinite timeout.
- A hang occurring within an event callback in the application code.
- An internal bug in the Chilkat code causing the hang.
LastErrorHtml
# $ckStr is a CkString
$codeSign->get_LastErrorHtml($ckStr);
$strVal = $codeSign->lastErrorHtml();
Provides HTML-formatted information about the last called method or property. If a method call fails or behaves unexpectedly, check this property for details. Note that information is available regardless of the method call's success.
topLastErrorText
# $ckStr is a CkString
$codeSign->get_LastErrorText($ckStr);
$strVal = $codeSign->lastErrorText();
Provides plain text information about the last called method or property. If a method call fails or behaves unexpectedly, check this property for details. Note that information is available regardless of the method call's success.
LastErrorXml
# $ckStr is a CkString
$codeSign->get_LastErrorXml($ckStr);
$strVal = $codeSign->lastErrorXml();
Provides XML-formatted information about the last called method or property. If a method call fails or behaves unexpectedly, check this property for details. Note that information is available regardless of the method call's success.
topLastMethodSuccess
$boolVal = $codeSign->get_LastMethodSuccess();
$codeSign->put_LastMethodSuccess($boolVal);
Indicates the success or failure of the most recent method call: 1 means success, 0 means failure. This property remains unchanged by property setters or getters. This method is present to address challenges in checking for null or Nothing returns in certain programming languages. Note: This property does not apply to methods that return integer values or to boolean-returning methods where the boolean does not indicate success or failure.
UncommonOptions
# $ckStr is a CkString
$codeSign->get_UncommonOptions($ckStr);
$strVal = $codeSign->uncommonOptions();
$codeSign->put_UncommonOptions($strVal);
Provides a comma-separated list of specialized compatibility or validation options. The default is an empty string, which is appropriate for normal use.
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
codesign-allow-expired-cert | Prevents Authenticode verification from failing solely because the signing certificate is expired. |
Utf8
$boolVal = $codeSign->get_Utf8();
$codeSign->put_Utf8($boolVal);
When set to 1, all string arguments and return values are interpreted as UTF-8 strings. When set to 0, they are interpreted as ANSI strings.
In Chilkat v11.0.0 and later, the default value is 1. Before v11.0.0, it was 0.
VerboseLogging
$boolVal = $codeSign->get_VerboseLogging();
$codeSign->put_VerboseLogging($boolVal);
If set to 1, then the contents of LastErrorText (or LastErrorXml, or LastErrorHtml) may contain more verbose information. The default value is 0. Verbose logging should only be used for debugging. The potentially large quantity of logged information may adversely affect peformance.
Version
# $ckStr is a CkString
$codeSign->get_Version($ckStr);
$strVal = $codeSign->version();
Methods
AddSignature
# $cert is a CkCert
# $options is a CkJsonObject
$status = $codeSign->AddSignature($path, $cert, $options);
Adds a Microsoft Authenticode signature to the Windows executable or DLL specified by path. The file is modified in place. cert supplies the code-signing certificate and must provide access to its associated private key. options supplies the signing configuration as JSON.
Common options options include:
| JSON member | Purpose |
|---|---|
hashAlg | Selects the file-digest algorithm, such as sha256. |
timestampToken.enabled | Enables an RFC 3161 timestamp token. |
timestampToken.tsaUrl | Specifies the timestamp authority URL. |
timestampToken.requestTsaCert | Requests inclusion of the timestamp authority certificate. |
timestampToken.hashAlg | Selects the timestamp-request digest algorithm, such as sha256. |
{
"hashAlg": "sha256",
"timestampToken": {
"enabled": true,
"tsaUrl": "http://timestamp.example.com",
"requestTsaCert": true,
"hashAlg": "sha256"
}
}
Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.
AddSignatureAsync (1)
# $path is a string
# $cert is a CkCert
# $options is a CkJsonObject
$ret_task = $codeSign->AddSignatureAsync($path, $cert, $options);
Creates an asynchronous task to call the AddSignature method with the arguments provided.
Returns null on failure
GetSignerCert
Retrieves the X.509 signer certificate discovered by the most recent call to VerifySignature on this CodeSign object. If the certificate is fully available, cert is loaded with it and the method returns 1. Otherwise, the method returns 0.
The returned object contains the public certificate only; it does not provide the signer's private key. Call this method after VerifySignature and use the same CodeSign instance.
VerifySignature and the returned signature information when making a trust decision.Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.
topRemoveSignature
$status = $codeSign->RemoveSignature($path);
Removes the embedded Authenticode signature from the Windows executable or DLL specified by path. The file is modified in place. Returns 1 if the signature is successfully removed; otherwise returns 0.
Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.
VerifySignature
# $sigInfo is a CkJsonObject
$status = $codeSign->VerifySignature($path, $sigInfo);
Verifies the embedded Microsoft Authenticode signature of the Windows executable or DLL specified by path. Structured information about the signature, signer, certificate chain, digest algorithms, timestamp, and validation result is written to sigInfo.
Returns 1 when the signature satisfies the applicable Authenticode validation checks under the current Windows trust configuration. This includes confirming that the signed portions of the file have not changed and evaluating the signing certificate and timestamp information, as applicable. An unsigned file or a signature that does not validate causes the method to return 0. Inspect sigInfo and LastErrorText for details.
Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.