In the Windows environment, ensuring the authenticity of files through digital signatures is crucial for maintaining system security and integrity. This article will guide you through the process of verifying digital signature authenticity using built-in Windows tools such as File Explorer, PowerShell, and CMD.

Verifying Digital Signatures Using File Explorer

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the file you want to verify.
2. Right-click on the file and select Properties.
3. Go to the Digital Signatures tab.
4. Select the signature you want to verify and click Details.
5. In the Digital Signature Details window, click View Certificate.
6. Check the certificate information to ensure it is valid and trusted.

Verifying Digital Signatures Using PowerShell

PowerShell provides a more automated way to verify digital signatures. Here’s a sample script to check the signature of a file:

# Define the file path

$file = "C:\Path\To\Your\File.exe"



# Get the Authenticode signature

$signature = Get-AuthenticodeSignature -FilePath $file



# Display the signature status

if ($signature.Status -eq "Valid") {

    Write-Output "The digital signature is valid."

} else {

    Write-Output "The digital signature is invalid. Status: $($signature.Status)"

}

Verifying Digital Signatures Using CMD

You can also use the signtool command-line utility to verify digital signatures. Here’s how:

1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Run the following command to verify the signature:

signtool verify /pa /v "C:\Path\To\Your\File.exe"

This command will output detailed information about the digital signature, including its validity.

Examples

Example 1: Verifying a Signature Using File Explorer

1. Navigate to C:\Program Files\ExampleApp\example.exe.
2. Right-click example.exe and select Properties.
3. Go to the Digital Signatures tab.
4. Select the signature and click Details.
5. Click View Certificate to check the certificate details.

Example 2: PowerShell Script to Verify Multiple Files

# Define an array of file paths

$files = @("C:\Path\To\File1\.exe", "C:\Path\To\File2\.exe")



# Loop through each file and check its signature

foreach ($file in $files) {

    $signature = Get-AuthenticodeSignature -FilePath $file

    if ($signature.Status -eq "Valid") {

        Write-Output "$file: The digital signature is valid."

    } else {

        Write-Output "$file: The digital signature is invalid. Status: $($signature.Status)"

    }

}

Example 3: CMD Script to Verify a Signature

Create a batch file verify_signature.bat with the following content:

@echo off

set file="C:\Path\To\Your\File.exe"

signtool verify /pa /v %file%

pause

Run the batch file to verify the digital signature.