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What is Code Signing?

Code signing is the process of applying a digital signature to software artifacts — executables, libraries, firmware, container images, or packages — using a cryptographic key pair bound to a certificate. The signature lets consumers verify that the artifact was produced by a trusted publisher and has not been tampered with since it was signed. When a user or system validates a signed artifact, it checks that the signature matches the artifact’s contents and that the signing certificate chains back to a trusted Certificate Authority (CA). If either check fails, the artifact is flagged as untrusted.

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Why Does Code Signing Matter?

Without code signing, there is no cryptographic proof that a piece of software is authentic. Attackers can modify binaries, inject malware into packages, or impersonate legitimate publishers. Code signing addresses these risks by providing:
  • Integrity: Any modification to a signed artifact after signing invalidates the signature, making tampering detectable.
  • Authenticity: The signature ties the artifact to the identity in the signing certificate, proving who produced it.
  • Non-repudiation: The signer cannot deny having signed the artifact, since only they control the private key.
  • Supply chain security: Package managers, operating systems, and container runtimes use signatures to gate installation and execution, blocking unsigned or tampered artifacts.

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How Infisical Handles Code Signing

Infisical provides a managed code signing workflow built on top of its PKI infrastructure:
  1. Signers are identities bound to a certificate with the codeSigning extended key usage. Private keys never leave Infisical; signing operations happen server-side.
  2. Signing policies optionally add a human review step before signing is allowed, enforcing separation of duties.
  3. Grants are time-limited or count-limited authorizations issued after approval, controlling exactly when and how many times a user can sign.
  4. PKCS#11 module lets standard signing tools (jarsigner, osslsigncode, cosign, etc.) use Infisical signers without code changes.
Every signing operation, whether it succeeds, fails, or is denied, is recorded as an immutable audit trail.