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Application & OT Security · Advanced

Code Signing Timestamp

A trusted timestamp applied to a code signature so it remains valid after the signing certificate expires.

Definition

A time-stamping authority (RFC 3161) signs the time of signing. Verifiers then accept the signature if the certificate was valid at that time, unless it was revoked for compromise before that time.

Example

An application signed in 2024 with a timestamp still verifies in 2027 after the certificate expired.

Exam tip

Without a timestamp, signatures fail when the certificate expires.

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