14 DAY TRIAL // Trusted provider of Internet infrastructure for the networked world VeriSign, Inc. announced today that it had been selected by Redmond-based software company Microsoft to provide code signing services for the applications that are being distributed via the Windows Marketplace for Mobile. According to the company, Microsoft will rely on the VeriSign Code Signing Services for the safeguarding of software solutions that are being delivered to Windows phones.
At the same time, the company also notes that the applications that are signed with a VeriSign Code Signing Certificate will signal to Windows phone owners that the software solution is being delivered from a trusted publisher. The code signing certificate applies a digital signature that is verified by VeriSign. When a signature is broken, the company will know that the application has been modified, thus being able to protect users from hackers or malicious code.
“Code signing follows the best practices of software development, and helps to ensure that all Windows phone applications will install and run with the right privileges -- and without limiting features or functionality,” said Jason Lim, director of ISV and developer experience at Microsoft. “We protect applications with VeriSign Code Signing Certificates because only VeriSign offers the robustness and scale that a fast-growing applications store demands. This world-class, customizable code signing solution protects our investment in Windows Marketplace for Mobile, and gives us more ways to control the integrity and quality of the Windows phone experience.”
The owners of handsets powered by Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system can access a wide range of applications via the Windows Marketplace for Mobile, and developers also have the possibility to deliver compelling solutions to a large user base. The software portal does not deliver only business applications, but also offers solutions for Facebook, MySpace, Netflix, Twikini, WunderRadio and ZAGAT, not to mention entertainment solutions like Sudoku, “Guitar Hero World Tour” and the “PAC-MAN” series.
“Mobile apps call for the same kind of protections that PC applications have relied on for years, and that's what VeriSign Code Signing Certificates offer to Windows phone app developers,” said Michael Lin, vice president and general manager of SSL at VeriSign. “We're delighted to serve as the code signing partner for Windows Marketplace for Mobile. Microsoft and the Windows phone development community can be assured that as the marketplace grows, VeriSign's code signing platform will scale with it, providing the same reliable safeguards down the road as it does with every download today.”
VeriSign and Microsoft have a long history together, and the new role the company has in signing apps for Windows phones is the latest in their partnership. The company announced recently that Microsoft plans on using VeriSign Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Certificates and VeriSign Code Signing Certificates for cloud-based services and apps on the Azure platform.