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Authenticated Content Signing Portal
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FAQs
What is the Mobile2Market program?
Microsoft’s Mobile2Market program helps developers
build, certify, and sign their code. Enrollment into this program may
be required prior to deploying your applications to mobile operator
networks. For additional information, please see the following FAQ page: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsmobile/bb250549.aspx.
Why should I choose VeriSign
ACS?
VeriSign ACS Portal offers you a cost-effective,
fully-automated, online and highly secure content signing service for
Microsoft Windows Mobile applications from the leader in content signing
services.
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What is an ACS Publisher ID?
The ACS Publisher ID is the digital certificate
you receive when you enroll for the ACS Portal. Your Publisher ID has
two uses:
- To sign your application
files
- To access the ACS
Portal to re-sign your files, purchase additional signing events, and
access a host of other features that the ACS Portal offers.
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What is an ACS Content ID?
The ACS Content ID is generated to "re-sign"
your signed files after your digital signature is verified. This certificate
is based on the private root associated with either the platform or
the carrier you are signing your applications for.
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Why do I need to get 2 different
certificates?
The ACS Publisher ID is the developer-signing
certificate and is used to sign code prior to uploading the code to
the ACS Portal for "re-signing". ACS Content ID certificates
are generated when you get your signed code "re-signed". When
you upload signed code to the ACS Portal, we check the validity of the
signature in real time, strip off this signature and re-sign using a
Content ID certificate that (a) carries application specific information
(b) chains up to the private root CA associated with the platform or
carrier you are signing your applications for. The Content ID is unique
to each piece of content and is the only signature that will be trusted
on the end-user device for secure downloading and execution.
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I understand VeriSign will
authenticate and verify my company credentials before issuing the certificate
to me. What is this process?
That’s correct. VeriSign has a proven
methodology, expertise and the infrastructure to authenticate and verify
businesses prior to issuing Class 3 certificates such as code signing.
This is a necessary process prior to issuing code signing certificates
including ACS Publisher IDs to you. Please click
here to learn more about this process and what’s required
to make this as streamlined and painless as possible.
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How long will it take to get
my application signed?
If you are a first time ACS customer, you first
need to obtain an ACS Publisher ID certificate with USB token to sign
Microsoft Windows Mobile applications. Use your Publisher ID to
sign your code and then upload it to the ACS Portal. The Web-based service
re-signs your code and makes it available for download within a few
seconds. See below for details and exceptions:
Notes:
- Signing
for the Microsoft Mobile2Market Program:
If you are participating in the Microsoft Mobile2Market program and
looking to getting your applications signed, note that we support both
Normal (Unprivileged) and Privileged mode signing Both are
available for all developers through the signing portal by default.
However, to have your application signed by the MS Windows Mobile Privileged
signing, you need to fill out this Request
Form and upload with your application. You will also
need to submit your application to a Microsoft-approved Test House.
Your application may be signed after Microsoft reviews the form and
the test results.
- Signing
your applications for Verizon Wireless with privileged certificates:
If you are developing privileged mode applications for Verizon Wireless
and are required to get your application(s) signed with the Verizon
Privileged certificate, you must contact your Verizon Wireless contact
and have them authorize VeriSign to grant your ACS Publisher ID access
to the Verizon Privileged signing service. Please note that you
must have a valid ACS Publisher ID before VeriSign can provide you access.
Providing access is a simple step. Typically, access to the Verizon
Privileged signing service is provided within 1 business day of receiving
the authorization from Verizon Wireless. More details on how to
contact Verizon Wireless for privileged mode signing access can also
be found at http://www.handango.com/Article.jsp?siteId=1&CKey=1_VerizonSigningDetails
- Signing
your applications for Nextel-Sprint with privileged certificates:
If you are developing privileged mode applications for Nextel-Sprint
and are required to get your application(s) signed with a Nextel-Sprint
Privileged certificate, you must contact Nextel at: Nextel@custhelp.com.
Nextel-Sprint will supply prospective developers with instructions on
how to submit an application which will be evaluated for authorization
to their signing services. Proper permission from Nextel-Sprint is required
before any Portal Account can be updated to access their signing services.
For more information on their program, visit http://developer.sprint.com.
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What constitutes a "signing
event"?
A signing event involves the generation of
a single-use ACS Content ID digital certificate that chains up to the
private root associated with the platform or carrier you are signing
your applications for. A signing event will be used for each application
signed. For example, if you have a Microsoft Windows Mobile applications
which consists of 1 cab file containing 1 exe and 1 dll file, signing
your application generates 3 signatures - 1 each for the dll, exe, and
the cab file – but only 1 signing event is consumed. Note that
this may be different for other platforms that VeriSign ACS supports.
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What do I do if I run out of
signing events?
If you have a valid Publisher ID certificate
and you run out of ACS Content IDs (signing events), log in to the ACS
Portal and purchase additional ACS Content ID bundles (signing event
bundles).
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What kind of files do I need
to get signed?
Microsoft specifies that you need to sign your
dll, exe, mui and cab files. The ACS Portal automates the signing
of all these kinds of files – just upload the cab file and request to
have the cab file signed. The ACS Portal will automatically generate
and apply signatures to all the required files.
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How do I sign code using my
Publisher ID certificate?
When you sign up for the ACS for Microsoft
Windows Mobile service, your Publisher ID certificate is installed on
the USB token provided to you.
You can access your certificate and sign your
code using the standard Microsoft File Signing Tool, "signcode.exe."
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What do I do if I lose my USB
token with my Publisher ID on it (only
for ACS Publisher ID with Smartcard)?
Your token and Publisher ID cannot be replaced.
If your USB token is lost, there is a potential compromise of your private
key. You must revoke your Publisher ID and enroll for a new Publisher
ID. A new USB token can be ordered via the ACS Portal.
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What do I do if I lose the
token password (only for ACS Publisher ID with USB token)?
Your token password cannot be recovered or
replaced. Keep your token password in a secure place in case you need
to refer to it. If you forget or lose the token password, you will not
be able to access your Publisher ID. You must revoke your Publisher
ID and enroll for a new Publisher ID. You will also need to initialize
your USB token.
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What do I do
if I delete the ACS Publisher ID approval e-mail with my PIN number?
Please call VeriSign Customer Support at 1-877-GET-VRSN
and we will send you your PIN number after we verify your identity.
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I have received an ACS Publisher
ID approval e-mail from VeriSign - what do I do next?
For ACS Publisher IDs with USB tokens, please
wait to get your blank USB token in the mail. Follow instructions provided here.
Then follow the link in the approval e-mail to pick up and install your
ACS Publisher ID on the token.
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Where is my USB token (only
for ACS Publisher ID with USB token)?
You should receive your USB token in 2-4 business
days after VeriSign has approved your Publisher ID.
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Where can I get user documentation
for the ACS Portal?
Once you have your Publisher ID, and you access
your account, click on the Resource Center tab and then the Product
Documentation link. From there you can download the “Code Signng
Portal for Publisher Administrator Guide” which will provide step-by-step
directions for accomplishing tasks.
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Is there a way
to script the process of getting my applications signed?
Yes – there is a SOAP-based API. Once
you have your Publisher ID, access your account and click on the
Resource Center tab and then the Product Documentation link. From
there you can download a zip file that contains information and examples
by clicking on “Signing Portal Publisher API”
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