How Do I Sign a VBA Macro in MS Office with a Timestamp?

Understanding the Process to Timestamp a VBA Macro in MS Office

In this article, you will learn how do you sign a VBA Macro in MS Office with a Timestamp.

Microsoft Office Suite is a great tool used by millions of people worldwide. It offers various effective tools that ease the workflows of thousands of organizations. However, there are various security concerns when building macros in Microsoft Office.

As the files do not have any specific protection, the data in those files can be easily extracted if hacked by anyone. That is why securing the data from those files is extremely important using a digital signature.

So let us explore in this blog how VBA macros and data in MS Office can be safeguarded using digital signature and timestamping.

What is Timestamping?

Timestamping is an integral part of the code signing process. It is the process of registering the time to a file or log when any modification, such as addition or reduction, is done to a file. It is similar to a camera recording the date and time of the photograph.

A great advantage of timestamping your documents is that it validates them even after their code signing certificate expires. Timestamps are extremely vital for keeping records when any information is being transmitted.

For instance, you sign an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) with a client or any organization. Later at some point, you found out that the organization had leaked the information about the project.

When you go to confront them, the organization disputes that the information was shared before signing the contract. In such a case, if you have timestamped the document, you can sue the organization as you have official proof of the date and time when the document was signed.

What are the Benefits of Timestamping a Document?

There are several significant benefits of timestamping a document, such as:

• It provides legal guarantees to documents that they are not modified or tampered with after timestamping of the document.

• It also ensures the integrity of an archived document and guarantees the security of the document.

• It enables higher security for your documents, improving your company’s reliability and trustworthiness in the market.

• It validates the documents even after the expiration of the code signing certificate.

What are VBA Macros?

Before jumping ahead and understanding VBA Macros, let us first understand what VBA is. Visual Basic for Application or VBA is a programming language developed by Microsoft that is used to write programs for different Microsoft tools such as Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Word, Visio, etc. VBA enables users to create custom functions that can automate tasks for users.

Leveraging VBA, the users can build macros to automate repetitive tasks and data-processing functions. It is also used to generate custom forms, graphs, and reports. VBA utilizes objects, variables, projects, properties, logical operators, and modules to build statements that are recognized by debugging processes.

Macros are essentially a sequence of characters that accomplish specific computing tasks. It generates the required output that otherwise had to be implemented by running multiple functions separately. Furthermore, the VBA allows users to manipulate GUI features like toolbars, menus, dialogue boxes, and forms.

What is the Purpose of VBA Macros?

VBA macros automate everything from simple to complex reporting tasks and processes with multiple files. Here are some of its most relevant uses:

1. Process Automation

One of the best uses of VBA Macros is it combines different functions and automates them into a single function. It includes building systems to create, update, or modify several files. The process makes the system extremely streamlined and functional for users.

2. Data-Based Tasks

You can also accomplish several data-related tasks using VBA Macros, such as:

• Removing duplicate entries and creating a list of unique values.
• Selecting or deleting blank rows in the documents.
• Finding specific entries in the documents.
• Formatting data to raw data exports.

3. Pivot Table Tasks

A Pivot Table interactively summarizes large amounts of data. They help create, format, update, and maintain data. However, the process is highly time-consuming. With VBA Macros, functions can be created and automated, which saves substantial amounts of user time and effort. Here are the few functions it can perform:

• Display the details of macros.
• Expand and collapse all pivot table fields.

4. Workbook Tasks

VBA Macros can also be leveraged to automate tasks across workbooks and worksheets. It includes things like listing all the sheets, hiding specific sheets, opening, and closing workbooks, creating a table of contents, and more. All these tasks can be automated using VBA macros.

Guide to Sign a VBA Macro in MS Office with a Timestamp

Before you sign a VBA Macro in MS Office with a timestamp, you need to purchase and install a code signing certificate in the Windows Content Security Policy.

Check Out the Different Code Signing Certificates Here!

It can be done by right-clicking on your PFX file and then installing the certificate. The certificate can also be imported through the Internet Explorer Options menu – Content – Certificates – Import.

The Process to Digitally Sign a VBA Macro with a Timestamp

To continue, please access the file containing your macro project. Follow the steps below to open it without encountering any issues of plagiarism:

1. Go to the Developer tab on the menu.
2. In the Code section, locate and click on the Visual Basic option.
3. To activate the Developer tab if it isn’t visible, proceed as follows:

• Click on the File tab.
• Select Options.
• Look for the Customize Ribbon option and click on it.
• In the Customize Ribbon list, find and click on Developer.
• Click OK to save the changes.

Till now, you have successfully accessed the Visual Basic environment. Then, you can proceed with signing your project by following these steps:

1. In the Visual Basic Project Explorer, locate and select your project.
2. Click on the Tools menu and then select Digital Signature.
3. A Digital Signature dialog will appear. Select a certificate from the available options and click OK.
4. If you need to use a different certificate, click Choose.
5. Next, select the desired certificate and press the OK option twice.

Voila! Your macro project is now signed successfully. But make sure to timestamp your code after installing the certificate. Timestamping guarantees you can verify your signature even after the expired certificate. We hope the steps above helped!

Once saved, your document is successfully digitally signed.

In case you are using Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7, you need to do an additional step that signs your VBA Macro and ensures your document stays validated even after the expiration of the code signing certificate.

To add a timestamp to your VBA macros, create a file named timestamp.bat. Then copy and paste the given text:

reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\VBA\Security" /v "TimeStampURL" /f /d "http://timestamp.sectigo.com"

reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\VBA\Security" /v "TimeStampRetryCount" /f /t REG_DWORD /d 2

reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\VBA\Security" /v "TimeStampRetryDelay" /f /t REG_DWORD /d 1

After entering the above-given code, save the file and double-click it to run it. Press ‘Yes’ when prompted. Once you have completed the process, your VBA Macros will be digitally signed with a timestamp.

Conclusion

Digitally signing your VBA Macros is a sure-shot way to secure the data of your documents. It keeps your data protected from cyber-attacks and provides enhanced security to data. Therefore, every user must do this process and avail of its benefits.

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