Digital Signatures for Kernel Modules on x64-Based Systems Running Windows Vista

Overview

For Microsoft Windows Vista and later versions of the Windows family of operating systems, kernel-mode software must have a digital signature to load on x64-based computer systems. Digital signatures allow the administrator or end user who is installing Windows-based software to know whether a legitimate publisher has provided the software package. When users choose to send Windows Error Reporting data to Microsoft after a fault or other error occurs, Microsoft can analyze the data to know which publishers' software was running on the system at the time of the error. This paper describes how to manage the signing process for kernel-mode software for Windows Vista.