CodeSign Unicode C++ Reference Documentation

CkCodeSignW

Current Version: 11.5.0
Requires Chilkat Bundle License

Chilkat.CodeSign

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

Apply Authenticode signatures to Windows executable files using a certificate and associated private key.

Validate trust

Check whether a signed executable has a valid signature and whether the signing certificate chain can be trusted.

Inspect signatures

Extract details about the Authenticode signature, including signer information and signature-related metadata.

Retrieve signer certificates

Get the certificate used to sign the executable and inspect it with Chilkat.Cert.

Remove signatures

Remove an existing Authenticode signature from a Windows executable when an unsigned output file is required.

Diagnostics

Use detailed diagnostic output to troubleshoot signing, certificate, trust-chain, timestamping, or validation problems.

Common pattern: Load or provide a code-signing certificate that has access to its private key, sign the target .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.

For an extended overview, see CodeSign Class Overview.

Object Creation

// Local variable on the stack
CkCodeSignW obj;

// Dynamically allocate/delete
CkCodeSignW *pObj = new CkCodeSignW();
// ...
delete pObj;

Properties

DebugLogFilePath
void get_DebugLogFilePath(CkString &str);
const wchar_t *debugLogFilePath(void);
void put_DebugLogFilePath(const wchar_t *str);

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.

More Information and Examples
Example showing how to use DebugLogFilePath.
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HeartbeatMs
int get_HeartbeatMs(void);
void put_HeartbeatMs(int newVal);
Introduced in version 9.5.0.98

Specifies the approximate interval, in milliseconds, between AbortCheck event callbacks during supported operations. An event handler can request that the current operation be aborted.

The default is 0, which disables AbortCheck callbacks. Setting a positive value enables periodic callbacks when an operation is sufficiently long-running; methods that finish quickly may complete without generating one.

Callback interval: The interval is a scheduling target rather than a real-time guarantee. Callback timing can vary while waiting for private-key hardware, a timestamp authority, certificate-chain processing, or other operating-system services.

More Information and Examples
Event Callback Examples
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LastErrorHtml
void get_LastErrorHtml(CkString &str);
const wchar_t *lastErrorHtml(void);

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.

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LastErrorText
void get_LastErrorText(CkString &str);
const wchar_t *lastErrorText(void);

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.

More Information and Examples
Concept of LastErrorTextLastErrorText Standard Information
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LastErrorXml
void get_LastErrorXml(CkString &str);
const wchar_t *lastErrorXml(void);

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.

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LastMethodSuccess
bool get_LastMethodSuccess(void);
void put_LastMethodSuccess(bool newVal);

Indicates the success or failure of the most recent method call: true means success, false 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.

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UncommonOptions
void get_UncommonOptions(CkString &str);
const wchar_t *uncommonOptions(void);
void put_UncommonOptions(const wchar_t *str);
Introduced in version 9.5.0.97

Provides a comma-separated list of specialized compatibility or validation options. The default is an empty string, which is appropriate for normal use.

OptionEffect
codesign-allow-expired-certPrevents Authenticode verification from failing solely because the signing certificate is expired.
Use only for an explicit trust policy: This option relaxes the certificate-expiration check; it does not disable file-integrity, signature, chain, or other validation checks. It is not a substitute for timestamping. A signature carrying a valid trusted timestamp should ordinarily remain verifiable after the signing certificate expires without this option.

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VerboseLogging
bool get_VerboseLogging(void);
void put_VerboseLogging(bool newVal);

If set to true, then the contents of LastErrorText (or LastErrorXml, or LastErrorHtml) may contain more verbose information. The default value is false. Verbose logging should only be used for debugging. The potentially large quantity of logged information may adversely affect peformance.

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Version
void get_Version(CkString &str);
const wchar_t *version(void);

Version of the component/library, such as "10.1.0"

More Information and Examples
How to get the Chilkat version at runtime.
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Methods

AddSignature
bool AddSignature(const wchar_t *path, CkCertW &cert, CkJsonObjectW &options);
Introduced in version 9.5.0.97

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 memberPurpose
hashAlgSelects the file-digest algorithm, such as sha256.
timestampToken.enabledEnables an RFC 3161 timestamp token.
timestampToken.tsaUrlSpecifies the timestamp authority URL.
timestampToken.requestTsaCertRequests inclusion of the timestamp authority certificate.
timestampToken.hashAlgSelects the timestamp-request digest algorithm, such as sha256.
{
  "hashAlg": "sha256",
  "timestampToken": {
    "enabled": true,
    "tsaUrl": "http://timestamp.example.com",
    "requestTsaCert": true,
    "hashAlg": "sha256"
  }
}
Timestamping is strongly recommended: A trusted timestamp records that the signature existed while the code-signing certificate was valid. This normally allows the signature to continue validating after the signing certificate expires, provided the timestamp and certificate chains remain valid under the verifier's trust policy.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

More Information and Examples
Authenticode Sign an Executable (EXE) or DLL
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AddSignatureAsync (1)
CkTaskW *AddSignatureAsync(const wchar_t *path, CkCertW &cert, CkJsonObjectW &options);
Introduced in version 9.5.0.97

Creates an asynchronous task to call the AddSignature method with the arguments provided.

Note: Async method event callbacks happen in the background thread. Accessing and updating UI elements existing in the main thread may require special considerations.

Note: The application is responsible for deleting (via the C++ delete operator) the object returned by this method.

Returns NULL on failure

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GetSignerCert
bool GetSignerCert(CkCertW &cert);
Introduced in version 10.0.1

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 true. Otherwise, the method returns false.

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.

Certificate retrieval versus trust: Successfully retrieving the signer certificate does not independently validate the signature or establish trust. Use the result of VerifySignature and the returned signature information when making a trust decision.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

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RemoveSignature
bool RemoveSignature(const wchar_t *path);
Introduced in version 9.5.0.97

Removes the embedded Authenticode signature from the Windows executable or DLL specified by path. The file is modified in place. Returns true if the signature is successfully removed; otherwise returns false.

Effect of removal: The resulting file is no longer Authenticode-signed and no longer carries the removed publisher and timestamp information. This operation does not delete the signing certificate from a Windows certificate store or alter the private key. Keep a backup when the original signed file must be retained.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

More Information and Examples
Remove the Authenticode Signature from an EXE or DLL
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VerifySignature
bool VerifySignature(const wchar_t *path, CkJsonObjectW &sigInfo);
Introduced in version 9.5.0.97

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 true 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 false. Inspect sigInfo and LastErrorText for details.

What successful verification means: Authenticode verifies publisher identity, file integrity, and certificate trust according to the validation policy. It does not prove that the software is bug-free, safe to execute, or free of malicious behavior. Trust results can also depend on the Windows trusted-root store, certificate-chain availability, timestamp validity, revocation policy, and other system trust settings.

Returns true for success, false for failure.

More Information and Examples
Verify Authenticode Signature of EXE or DLL
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Events

To implement an event callback, your application would define and implement a class that inherits from CkBaseProgressW. Your application can implement methods to override some or all of the default/empty method implementations of the CkBaseProgressW base class.

For example:

  CkCodeSignW codesign;

  MyCodeSignProgressW callbackObj;

  codesign.put_EventCallbackObject(&callbackObj);

MyCodeSignProgressW example:

#include "CkBaseProgressW.h"

class MyCodeSignProgressW : public CkBaseProgressW {

  public:
    MyCodeSignProgressW();
    virtual ~MyCodeSignProgressW();

    void AbortCheck(bool  *abort);

    void PercentDone(int pctDone, bool  *abort);

    void ProgressInfo(const wchar_t *name, const wchar_t *value);

    void TaskCompleted(CkTaskW &task);

};
AbortCheck
void AbortCheck(bool *abort);

Enables a method call to be aborted by triggering the AbortCheck event at intervals defined by the HeartbeatMs property. If HeartbeatMs is set to its default value of 0, no events will occur. For instance, set HeartbeatMs to 200 to trigger 5 AbortCheck events per second.

More Information and Examples
Chilkat Event Callback Examples
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PercentDone
void PercentDone(int pctDone, bool *abort);

This provides the percentage completion for any method involving network communications or time-consuming processing, assuming the progress can be measured as a percentage. This event is triggered only when it's possible and logical to express the operation's progress as a percentage. The pctDone argument will range from 1 to 100. For methods that finish quickly, the number of PercentDone callbacks may vary, but the final callback will have pctDone equal to 100. For longer operations, callbacks will not exceed one per percentage point (e.g., 1, 2, 3, ..., 98, 99, 100).

The PercentDone callback also acts as an AbortCheck event. For fast methods where PercentDone fires, an AbortCheck event may not trigger since the PercentDone callback already provides an opportunity to abort. For longer operations, where time between PercentDone callbacks is extended, AbortCheck callbacks enable more responsive operation termination.

To abort the operation, set the abort output argument to true. This will cause the method to terminate and return a failure status or corresponding failure value.

More Information and Examples
Chilkat Event Callback Examples
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ProgressInfo
void ProgressInfo(const wchar_t *name, const wchar_t *value);

This event callback provides tag name/value pairs that detail what occurs during a method call. To discover existing tag names, create code to handle the event, emit the pairs, and review them. Most tag names are self-explanatory.

Note: Some Chilkat methods don't fire any ProgressInfo events.

More Information and Examples
Chilkat Event Callback Examples
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TaskCompleted
void TaskCompleted(CkTaskW &task);

Called from the background thread when an asynchronous task completes.

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