Code signing confusion

[instrumentally]

I am attempting to purchase a code signing certificate via the Lindersoft web site. After entering my login user name and password, I am taken to https://secure.trust-provider.com/products/CodeSigningSignup1a

Here you discover that you must use Internet Explorer or an ancient version of Firefox to continue and that all modern Chromium based browsers cannot be used.

What are you going to do now that Microsoft has been removing/disabling Internet Explorer on Windows 10 and 11 systems?

[instrumentally]

As you can see in this video, even using Internet Explorer to purchase a signing certificate is a total fail: https://youtu.be/sCiRWoQCu10

[linder]

Hello,

please note that we only redirect you to the original Sectigo ordering page ;-) So WE can't do anything here and it has absolutely nothing to do with Lindersoft. We only provide access to discounted original Sectigo certificates.

Here is an interesting reading:

http://www.lindersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?48025-code-sign-certificate-process-2020

https://www.setupbuilder.com/downloads/Comodo2020.pdf

BTW, IE is still available in Win10 (Select Start and enter Internet Explorer).

Friedrich

[linder]

Hello,

again, this is not a Lindersoft page but the original Sectigo ordering site. We only redirect you to their servers. In fact, Sectigo would never ever share any customer related info with a 3rd party (us). You order directly from their site and you pay to Sectigo. We only pay an additional service fee (on an anonymous basis).

Friedrich

[instrumentally]

I don't think you understand the matter. Try it yourself. Try to order a digital signing certificate yourself using Chrome, Vivaldi, Edge, or Internet Explorer. You will simply fail when you attempt to get beyond the first page. The first 3 browsers cannot be used according to the warning message at the top of the screen, and using IE fails to generate any certificate request even after changing the trusted site settings as per Sectigo's instructions. You simply cannot purchase a certificate using the doorway page that Lindersoft has provided.

[instrumentally]

BTW, IE is still available in Win10 (Select Start and enter Internet Explorer).


Microsoft is removing IE according to Microsoft. You can confirm this here: https://www.howtogeek.com/846237/heres-when-windows-10-will-delete-internet-explorer/#:~:text=Internet%20Explorer%2011%20was%20official ly,be%20(almost)%20completely%20removed.

Relevant quote from the above article:
The next stage in the plan will start with the February 2023 security update for Windows 11, which is currently scheduled for February 14, 2023, and a preview build will be available on January 17. With that update, Internet Explorer icons on the Start Menu and taskbar will be removed, and any files or shortcuts that open in IE will be opened with Edge instead.

So my original question still stands... What is a Setupbuilder customer supposed to do when all the browsers that one might have cannot be used to purchase a code signing certificate via the Lindersoft doorway page?

[linder]

Sorry, but what does SetupBuilder or Lindersoft have to do with this? We provide access to discounted Sectigo certificates. Not more and not less. You can request the same certificate without our discount ($200 instead of $500) gateway, but it will be the SAME Sectigo (Authenticode) ordering process.

So this is a question for Microsoft and Sectigo, right? Again: you request an original Sectigo code-signing certificates from Sectigo (we redirect you to their servers and you pay to Sectigo).

https://support.comodo.com/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/View/244/0/which-browser-can-i-use-to-signup-for-a-code-signing-certificate

Friedrich

[linder]

What I am trying to say is that we (or any other non-Microsoft and non-Sectigo company) do not have any control over this process.

Friedrich

[instrumentally]

So this is a question for Microsoft and Sectigo, right?

Lindersoft provides a secure doorway to some unknown page, which I (and I suspect others) would have no idea was not associated with Lindersoft. The doorway page is trust-provider.com, not Sectigo.

Look at the snapshot below. Why would I suddenly become aware that Lindersoft is not associated with the certificate purchase process when the Lindersoft logo/banner is prominent at the top of this doorway page, which when the user clicks "Next" results in an utter failure to proceed?5118

[linder]

This "Lindersoft" banner just tells you that your certificate request makes use of the Lindersoft partner discount (e.g. $200 instead of $500 for a 3yr certificate).

If you go directly to the trust-provider.com website then it displays the standard Sectigo logo (no discount). It's always the same order page for all partners, resellers, etc. worldwide.

https://secure.trust-provider.com

Friedrich

[instrumentally]

Hindsight is 20/20, but when the Lindersoft customer attempts this process for the first time, none of what you have clarified is clear or "obvious." That is my point.

[RichBPL]

Surely someone must know how to get past the "Your browser did not send a certification request" error?
Seems like the problem might be:
1) An anti-virus thing blocking I/E, or
2) One of the many ActiveX settings that can be tweaked under the “Security level for this zone”, or
3) Maybe Microsoft really did kill this fashion of obtaining code signing certificates!
-- Rich F.

[instrumentally]

I had no choice to find another means to obtain a digital signing certificate since the Lindersoft doorway simply doesn't work no matter how hard I attempt finding a fix for the unsupported browsers and failure of IE to send the request.

The problem I am now having has to do with getting a certificate under a fictitious business name (dba) as opposed to my own personal name. I am sure I'm not the only software developer that uses a business moniker (aka "fictitious name" or "dba") for their small business software development. Is there any "trick" or method for a John Smith to get the certificate to display "ABC Software" as opposed to "John Smith"?

[linder]

Hello,

again, this is not caused by any "Lindersoft doorway". This is the original Sectigo order page on Sectigo servers (they are processing quite a few thousand certificate requests per day).

BTW, you have to ask the WebTrust how to handle dbs's. I know that there are very strict rules in town.

Friedrich

[linder]

Hi Rich,

I think you are 100% right with 1) or 2).

BTW, I requested a 3yr certificate for a customer today. New Windows 10 Pro virtual machine, standard settings. Opened IE and accepted all the requested security settings. Certificate request worked without any problem.

Friedrich