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title osslsigncode
lang en-US

NAME

osslsigncode - Authenticode signing, timestamping, extraction, attachment, removal, and verification tool

SYNOPSIS

osslsigncode [--help] [--version]

osslsigncode sign [-certs file | -spc file | -pkcs12 file] [-key file-or-URI] [-ac file] [-pass password | -readpass file | -askpass] [-pkcs11module module] [-pkcs11cert URI] [-engine engine] [-provider provider] [-login] [-engineCtrl command[:parameter]] [-h digest] [-n description] [-i URL] [-jp low] [-comm] [-ph] [-t URL ... | -ts URL ...] [-TSA-certs file -TSA-key file-or-URI [-TSA-time unix-time]] [-HTTPS-CAfile file] [-HTTPS-CRLfile file] [-time unix-time] [-addUnauthenticatedBlob [-blobFile file]] [-nest] [-add-msi-dse] [-verbose] [-pem] -in input -out output

osslsigncode extract-data [-pem] [-h digest] [-ph] [-add-msi-dse] -in input -out output

osslsigncode add [-addUnauthenticatedBlob [-blobFile file]] [-t URL ... | -ts URL ...] [-TSA-certs file -TSA-key file-or-URI [-TSA-time unix-time]] [-HTTPS-CAfile file] [-HTTPS-CRLfile file] [-h digest] [-index n] [-verbose] [-add-msi-dse] -in input -out output

osslsigncode attach-signature -sigin signature [-h digest] [-nest] [-add-msi-dse] -in input -out output

osslsigncode extract-signature [-pem] -in input -out output

osslsigncode remove-signature -in input -out output

osslsigncode verify -in input [-c | -catalog catalog-file] [-CAfile file] [-CRLfile file] [-HTTPS-CAfile file] [-HTTPS-CRLfile file] [-TSA-CAfile file] [-TSA-CRLfile file] [-p proxy] [-index n] [-ignore-timestamp] [-ignore-cdp] [-ignore-crl] [-time unix-time] [-require-leaf-hash alg:hex] [-verbose]

DESCRIPTION

osslsigncode signs and verifies Microsoft Authenticode signatures on supported file formats. It can also extract data for detached signing, attach an externally produced signature, add timestamps or unauthenticated blobs to an existing signature, and remove an embedded signature.

Supported input formats include PE files such as EXE, DLL, and SYS, CAB, CAT, MSI, APPX, and several script file types, including .ps1, .ps1xml, .psc1, .psd1, .psm1, .cdxml, .mof, and .js.

The program supports these common workflows:

  • direct signing of an unsigned file
  • detached signing via extract-data, sign, and attach-signature
  • post-sign timestamping with add
  • verification of embedded signatures or catalog signatures with verify

If no subcommand is given, sign is assumed.

FORMATS

Support is not identical across all file formats.

In particular, detached-signature workflows, nested signatures, catalog-based verification, and signature removal are format-dependent features. A command that is valid for one supported file type may be unsupported for another.

CAT files are a special case. They are detached catalog containers for hashes of other files, not ordinary embedded-signature payloads. A CAT file is itself a PKCS#7 structure containing authenticated entries for one or more external files. In practice, the catalog signs file digests recorded in the catalog, rather than embedding a signature into each covered file.

Because of this, CAT files behave differently from embedded-signature formats. They do not support attach-signature, remove-signature, extract-data, or nested signatures.

MSI files are also a special case. They support an extended signature mode controlled by -add-msi-dse. In this mode, the MSI signature covers file metadata as well as file content. Detached-signing workflows and any later re-signing or nesting operations must use a mode consistent with the MSI file's existing signature structure.

COMMANDS

sign

Create a new Authenticode signature.

This command can sign a normal unsigned file, or it can sign PKCS#7 data previously produced by extract-data.

extract-data

Extract the PKCS#7 content to be signed later. This is used for detached signing workflows.

add

Add unauthenticated attributes to an existing signature, typically an Authenticode timestamp, an RFC 3161 timestamp, or an unauthenticated blob.

With -index, the selected signature in a multi-signature file is updated.

attach-signature

Attach a detached PKCS#7 signature to an input file.

With -nest, the new signature is attached as a nested signature instead of replacing the primary one, if the file format supports nested signatures.

extract-signature

Extract the embedded PKCS#7 signature from a signed file.

remove-signature

Remove the embedded signature from a signed file.

verify

Verify an embedded signature or a catalog signature.

Verification may include digest consistency, certificate chain validation, certificate revocation checking, timestamp validation, and optional checking of the signer's leaf certificate hash.

When verifying that a file is covered by a catalog, use verify -catalog catalog.cat -in file. Verifying the CAT file by itself validates the catalog signature; verifying with -catalog checks whether the specified input file is covered by that catalog.

OPTIONS

Some options are available only in particular builds or OpenSSL versions. In particular, -askpass is build-dependent, -provider and -nolegacy require OpenSSL 3, and engine-related options depend on engine support in the build.

General options

--help
: Show help text. With a subcommand, show help for that subcommand.

-v, --version
: Show version information.

-in file
: Input file.

-out file
: Output file. Required for all commands except verify.

-verbose
: Produce more detailed diagnostic output.

Signing material

-pkcs12 file
: Read the signing certificate and private key from a PKCS#12 container.

-certs, -spc file
: Read the signing certificate chain. The historical alias -spc is accepted.

-key file-or-URI
: Read the private key. This may also be a store or PKCS#11 URI.

-ac file
: Add extra certificates to the signature block.

-pass password
: Password or PIN for the key, token, or PKCS#12 container.

-readpass file
: Read the password or PIN from file. Use - to read from standard input.

-askpass
: Prompt for the password interactively.

PKCS#11, engines, and providers

-pkcs11module module
: Path to a PKCS#11 module.

-pkcs11cert URI
: PKCS#11 URI identifying the certificate object.

-provider provider
: OpenSSL 3 provider to load. This is the preferred modern interface for provider-based PKCS#11 use.

-engine, -pkcs11engine engine
: OpenSSL engine identifier or path to a dynamic engine module. This interface is retained for compatibility with builds and deployments that still support engines.

-login
: Force login to the token for engine-based PKCS#11 use.

-engineCtrl command[:parameter]
: Pass a control command to the selected engine.

-nolegacy
: On OpenSSL 3 builds, do not automatically load the legacy provider.

Signature contents and digest control

-h md5 | sha1 | sha2 | sha256 | sha384 | sha512
: Select the digest algorithm. The default is sha256. sha2 and sha256 are equivalent.

-n description
: Description of the signed content.

-i URL
: Informational URL associated with the signed content.

-comm
: Use Microsoft Commercial Code Signing purpose instead of the default individual purpose.

-jp low
: Add the Java CAB permission attribute. Only low is currently supported.

-ph
: Generate page hashes for executable files.

-add-msi-dse
: For MSI files, enable the MsiDigitalSignatureEx signing mode. In this mode, the signature covers MSI metadata as well as file content. The metadata portion includes stream names, sizes, and selected timestamps in the MSI structure. This option changes the MSI signature format and should be used consistently in any detached-signing workflow involving extract-data, sign, attach-signature, or add.

For a newly signed MSI, this mode is generally preferred because it extends signing coverage beyond file content alone. For an already signed MSI, however, the chosen mode must match the file's existing signature structure. Switching between basic MSI signing and MsiDigitalSignatureEx during re-signing or nested-signature operations can invalidate the existing signature.

-pem
: Write PKCS#7 output in PEM format instead of DER.

Timestamping and network options

The following timestamping modes are mutually exclusive within a single sign or add invocation:

  • Authenticode timestamping with -t
  • RFC 3161 timestamping with -ts
  • built-in RFC 3161 timestamp generation with -TSA-certs and -TSA-key

-t URL
: Add an Authenticode timestamp from the specified URL. May be repeated.

-ts URL
: Add an RFC 3161 timestamp from the specified URL. May be repeated.

-p proxy
: Proxy used for timestamp or CRL retrieval.

-noverifypeer
: Do not verify the TLS certificate of the remote timestamp service.

-HTTPS-CAfile file
: PEM bundle used to verify HTTPS peers contacted by osslsigncode.

-HTTPS-CRLfile file
: PEM CRL file used while verifying HTTPS peers.

-TSA-certs file
: PEM certificate chain for locally generated RFC 3161 timestamps.

-TSA-key file-or-URI
: Private key for locally generated RFC 3161 timestamps.

-TSA-time unix-time
: Timestamp time for locally generated RFC 3161 responses.

Nested signatures and indexed operations

-nest
: Add a nested signature instead of replacing the primary signature.

-index n
: Select a signature by index for add or verify. Index 0 is the primary signature.

Unauthenticated blob options

-addUnauthenticatedBlob
: Add an unauthenticated blob to the signature.

-blobFile file
: Read blob contents from file. If omitted, a placeholder blob is created.

Verification options

-c, -catalog file
: Verify the input file against the specified catalog file.

-CAfile file
: PEM bundle of trusted CA certificates for signer validation.

-CRLfile file
: PEM file containing CRLs for signer validation.

-TSA-CAfile, -untrusted file
: PEM bundle of trusted CA certificates for timestamp validation.

-TSA-CRLfile, -CRLuntrusted file
: PEM file containing CRLs for timestamp validation.

-time, -st unix-time
: Verification time. If a valid timestamp is present and used, chain validation is normally performed at the timestamp time.

-ignore-timestamp
: Skip verification of the timestamp signature.

-ignore-cdp
: Do not fetch CRLs from CRL Distribution Points.

-ignore-crl
: Disable CRL retrieval and CRL validation.

-require-leaf-hash alg:hex
: Require the signer's leaf certificate to hash to the specified value. The hash is computed over the DER encoding of the leaf certificate.

EXIT STATUS

0
: Success.

non-zero
: Failure.

DIAGNOSTICS

Common causes of failure include:

missing CA trust bundle
: On Unix-like systems, verify expects a readable CA bundle, either from -CAfile or from a detected system default.

detached-signing mismatch
: extract-data, sign, and attach-signature must use compatible digest-affecting options such as -h, and where relevant -ph and -add-msi-dse.

unsupported format feature
: Some file formats do not support every subcommand or every signature mode.

missing TSA trust chain
: Timestamp verification may fail unless the appropriate TSA trust anchors are supplied with -TSA-CAfile, and where needed -TSA-CRLfile.

conflicting timestamp modes
: -t, -ts, and built-in TSA signing cannot be combined in one command.

MSI signature mode mismatch
: Re-signing or nesting an MSI signature must be consistent with whether the file already uses MsiDigitalSignatureEx. Mixing modes may invalidate the existing signature.

ENVIRONMENT

HTTP_PROXY, http_proxy
: Default proxy for HTTP access if -p is not given.

HTTPS_PROXY, https_proxy
: Default proxy for HTTPS access if -p is not given.

OPENSSL_ENGINES
: May help OpenSSL find engine modules.

FILES

On Unix-like systems, osslsigncode tries common CA bundle locations for its default -CAfile, including:

  • /etc/ssl/certs/ca-certificates.crt
  • /etc/pki/tls/certs/ca-bundle.crt
  • /usr/share/ssl/certs/ca-bundle.crt
  • /usr/local/share/certs/ca-root-nss.crt
  • /etc/ssl/cert.pem

If no readable CA bundle is available, verify may require an explicit -CAfile.

NOTES

Use extract-data when you need to create a new detached signature object. Use extract-signature when you need to copy an existing embedded PKCS#7 signature out of a file.

For safer secret handling, prefer -readpass or -askpass over -pass.

Data added with -addUnauthenticatedBlob is not protected by the signature and must not be treated as trusted.

For new MSI signatures, -add-msi-dse is generally preferred because it extends signing coverage to MSI metadata as well as file content. However, it is format-affecting rather than cosmetic, so existing signed MSI files should be re-signed only in a mode consistent with their current signature structure.

Output files are not overwritten.

EXAMPLES

Sign and verify a file

osslsigncode sign \
  -pkcs12 signer.p12 \
  -readpass p12-pass.txt \
  -n "Example Application" \
  -i "https://example.com/" \
  -ts "https://tsa.example.net/" \
  -in app.exe \
  -out app-signed.exe

osslsigncode verify \
  -CAfile ca-bundle.pem \
  -TSA-CAfile tsa-ca-bundle.pem \
  -in app-signed.exe

Detached signing workflow

osslsigncode extract-data \
  -h sha384 \
  -ph \
  -in app.exe \
  -out app-data.der

osslsigncode sign \
  -pkcs12 signer.p12 \
  -readpass p12-pass.txt \
  -h sha384 \
  -in app-data.der \
  -out app-sig.der

osslsigncode attach-signature \
  -h sha384 \
  -sigin app-sig.der \
  -in app.exe \
  -out app-signed.exe

osslsigncode verify \
  -CAfile ca-bundle.pem \
  -in app-signed.exe

Sign a new MSI with extended MSI metadata coverage

osslsigncode sign \
  -pkcs12 signer.p12 \
  -readpass p12-pass.txt \
  -add-msi-dse \
  -in installer.msi \
  -out installer-signed.msi

Use a PKCS#11 provider

osslsigncode sign \
  -provider /path/to/pkcs11prov.so \
  -pkcs11module /path/to/opensc-pkcs11.so \
  -pkcs11cert 'pkcs11:token=my-token;object=cert' \
  -key 'pkcs11:token=my-token;object=key' \
  -readpass pin.txt \
  -in app.exe \
  -out app-signed.exe

Add a timestamp to an already signed file

osslsigncode add \
  -ts "https://tsa.example.net/" \
  -in app-signed.exe \
  -out app-signed-ts.exe

Verify that a file is covered by a catalog

osslsigncode verify \
  -catalog drivers.cat \
  -CAfile ca-bundle.pem \
  -CRLfile ca-crl.pem \
  -in driver.sys

REPORTING BUGS

Report bugs and suspected issues via the project issue tracker:

https://github.com/mtrojnar/osslsigncode/issues

AUTHORS

Originally written by Per Allansson.

Maintained and extended by Michał Trojnara.

Major contributions by Małgorzata Olszówka.

Additional contributions by other project contributors.

SEE ALSO

OpenSSL Library

https://openssl-library.org/