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This is why code-signing certificates must be two-factor (e.g. embedded on a PIN secured smartcard where the private-key is protected from extraction by anybody
by DaiPlusPlus 6y ago
This is why code-signing certificates must be two-factor (e.g. embedded on a PIN secured smartcard where the private-key is protected from extraction by anybody).
My Tucows certificate is still a single *.pfx file - whereas my arguably less-consequential AATL (Adobe PDF signing) certificate is stuck on a crappy USB device that requires me to install marketing-laden software for. I miss my old commodity smartcard-based certificates.
- AnthonyMouse 6y agoDoesn't actually fix it: https://www.schneier.com/essays/archives/2005/04/two-factor_authentic.html https://www.schneier.com/essays/archives/2005/04/two-factor_... Your computer is unknowingly infected with malware, you go to do an update to your app, you insert your smartcard and enter your PIN, the malware signs the malware author's thing with it.
- DaiPlusPlus 6y agoI understand the PIN is sent directly to the smartcard that performs the signing - not on the host PC - and it's required for each signing operation. So if malware did intercept the signature process and sign itself, I would notice that my originally intended software wasn't signed - that would hopefully be a hint to me that something was amiss and my computer was compromised.
- account42 6y agoMost people would just assume there was some random error and try again.