EV Code Signing vs. Regular Code Signing: Difference to know

Digital security certificates such as code signing are a key ally of developers. They prove that your executables or applications are secure and haven’t been modified after signing. It makes users feel secure and comfortable when installing and using your digital products.

Obtained from reputed certificate authorities like Certera, DigiCert, Sectigo, and Comodo, these certificates come in two variants: an EV code signing certificate and a regular code signing certificate.

However, most developers and publishers are confused when choosing between EV code signing and regular code signing.

While both have their strengths and weaknesses, selecting the right one out of the two is sometimes more challenging. To help you select one, here we present the prime differences between the two.

This article will help you buy code signing certificate that suits your needs. So, without further ado, let’s begin the article by explaining EV code signing.

What is an EV Code Signing Certificate?

The Extended Validation (EV) code signing certificate offers maximum trust and confidence for users, browsers, and operating systems. It consists of an extensive verification process, where CAs ask for additional supporting documentation to confirm the authenticity of your business.

To validate each code signing request, the CA follows the standards established by the CA/B forum. Here. the individual developers are not eligible to purchase EV code signing certificates unless they are the sole proprietors of their registered firm.

However, large corporations and organizations can get the EV Code Signing Certificate.

The validation procedure includes business verification and hardware security for storing private keys to prevent unwanted access. Furthermore, software with an EV certificate can easily bypass the Windows Defender SmartScreen® Reputation filter.

Thanks to that, consumers no longer see unknown publishers or other security notifications. They’ll only see a verified publisher sign, increasing customers’ trust in your digital products.

Benefits of EV Code Signing Certificates:

Building Reputation:

Software products with EV code signing certificates get instant recognition by Google, Mozilla, Microsoft, and others. It can easily bypass the reputation filter, which is very difficult for software with other kinds of certificates.

Security:

Storing certificate credentials requires a physical hardware token to prevent unauthorized use or abuse of the certificate. This ensures that the private keys are secure.

Trust:

EV certificates provide the trust users seek when downloading software from the internet. Thus, software with an EV code signing certificate can increase conversions and download rates.

Protection from External Threats:

Since Extended Validation code signing certificates require storing private keys in a secure hardware token, it eliminates external threats. You can use the same to sign your executables as and when required to protect yourself from cyberattacks.

What is a Regular Code Signing Certificate?

Certificate Authorities issue regular or standard code signing certificates after a standard business vetting process. Here, CAs will confirm your company’s identification through a simple and formal verification process.

They’ll ask for necessary documents and company registration details to verify the company information before issuing the certificate. Additionally, CAs may examine your company’s registration status using government documents or public data.

Businesses having up-to-date records will have no trouble completing the validation and receiving the regular code signing certificate.

However, you must ensure the information you supply is complete and accurate throughout the procedure. This information, as well as your organization’s name, will appear on the certificate.

This Individual Validation Code Signing Certificate best suits independent developers or small software publishers looking to boost user trust. Since it’s one of the Cheapest Code code-signing certificates, most prefer to go with regular code-signing for their software.

Here are Some Reasons to use a Standard Code Signing Certificate:

Publisher Reputation:

Software signed with regular certificates establishes the publisher’s reputation so that users and machines can easily identify them. It’s also a way to ensure that the software comes from a verified source, not fraud.

Code Integrity:

The regular code signing certificate incorporates the mandatory security standards such as hashing and others set by CA/B forums. Such standards improve software’s code integrity and ensure that it’s not altered or modified.

Improves Downloads:

Thanks to the established publisher reputation and code integrity, users would start trusting your digital products. This increased trust and confidence would translate to more downloads and installations.

Compatibility with Multiple Platforms:

The standard code signing certificate is compatible with most reputed platforms such as Java, Windows, Adobe, macOS, and others. All these platforms have recommended software publishers to sign their executables digitally.

EV Code Signing vs Regular Code Signing: Differences to Know

EV Code Signing Certificates	Regular Code Signing Certificates
You must naturally create a software reputation by boosting total downloads. As a result, Microsoft SmartScreen has no immediate reputation.	Two-factor authentication is available with extended validation certificates. A USB device will store a private key and an encrypted token for software signing.
The certificate will be provided by the CA, which you may save to your computer. It’s an encrypted file you can send to other computers for signing.	The certificate will be provided by the CA, which you may save to your computer. It’s an encrypted file that you can send to other computers for signing.
The EV code signing certificate may be used to sign kernel and user-mode drivers for Windows 10 and later.	A standard certificate can be used to certify drivers for earlier versions of Windows (Released before Windows 10).
The validation procedure might take up to 5 business days in this case.	Certificate issuing may take up to three business days to validate.
Buy Comodo EV Code Signing Certificate	Buy Comodo Code Signing Certificate

Conclusion

So, we have discussed the differences between EV code signing and regular code signing certificates in this article. While selecting an ideal certificate type, you must consider your business demands and the software or executables you want to sign using the certificate.

Most CAs provide EV and regular code signing certificates to choose from based on your requirements. You may also buy code-signing certificates from reputable providers or distributors.

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