Set-AuthenticodeSignature
SYNOPSIS
Adds an Authenticode (/windows-hardware/drivers/install/authenticode)signature to a PowerShell script or other file.
SYNTAX
ByPath (Default)
Set-AuthenticodeSignature [-Certificate] <X509Certificate2> [-IncludeChain <String>]
[-TimestampServer <String>] [-HashAlgorithm <String>] [-Force] [-FilePath] <String[]> [-WhatIf] [-Confirm]
[<CommonParameters>]
ByLiteralPath
Set-AuthenticodeSignature [-Certificate] <X509Certificate2> [-IncludeChain <String>]
[-TimestampServer <String>] [-HashAlgorithm <String>] [-Force] -LiteralPath <String[]> [-WhatIf] [-Confirm]
[<CommonParameters>]
ByContent
Set-AuthenticodeSignature [-Certificate] <X509Certificate2> [-IncludeChain <String>]
[-TimestampServer <String>] [-HashAlgorithm <String>] [-Force] -SourcePathOrExtension <String[]>
-Content <Byte[]> [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] [<CommonParameters>]
DESCRIPTION
> This cmdlet is only available on the Windows platform. The `Set-AuthenticodeSignature` cmdlet adds an Authenticode signature to any file that supports Subject Interface Package (SIP).
In a PowerShell script file, the signature takes the form of a block of text that indicates the end of the instructions that are executed in the script. If there is a signature in the file when this cmdlet runs, that signature is removed.
EXAMPLES
Example 1 - Sign a script using a certificate from the local certificate store
$cert=Get-ChildItem -Path Cert:\CurrentUser\My -CodeSigningCert
Set-AuthenticodeSignature -FilePath PsTestInternet2.ps1 -Certificate $cert
The first command uses the `Get-ChildItem` cmdlet and the PowerShell certificate provider to get the certificates in the `Cert:\CurrentUser\My` subdirectory of the certificate store. The `Cert:` drive is the drive exposed by the certificate provider. The CodeSigningCert parameter, which is supported only by the certificate provider, limits the certificates retrieved to those with code-signing authority. The command stores the result in the `$cert` variable.
The second command uses the `Set-AuthenticodeSignature` cmdlet to sign the `PSTestInternet2.ps1` script. It uses the FilePath parameter to specify the name of the script and the Certificate parameter to specify that the certificate is stored in the `$cert` variable.
> [!NOTE] > Using the CodeSigningCert parameter with `Get-ChildItem` only returns certificates that have > code-signing authority and contain a private key. If there is no private key, the certificates > cannot be used for signing.
Example 2 - Sign a script using a certificate from a PFX file
$cert = Get-PfxCertificate -FilePath C:\Test\Mysign.pfx
Set-AuthenticodeSignature -FilePath ServerProps.ps1 -Certificate $cert
The first command uses the `Get-PfxCertificate` cmdlet to load the C:\Test\MySign.pfx certificate into the `$cert` variable.
The second command uses `Set-AuthenticodeSignature` to sign the script. The FilePath parameter of `Set-AuthenticodeSignature` specifies the path to the script file being signed and the Cert parameter passes the `$cert` variable containing the certificate to `Set-AuthenticodeSignature`.
If the certificate file is password protected, PowerShell prompts you for the password.
Example 3 - Add a signature that includes the root authority
Set-AuthenticodeSignature -FilePath c:\scripts\Remodel.ps1 -Certificate $cert -IncludeChain All -TimestampServer "http://timestamp.fabrikam.com/scripts/timstamper.dll"
The command uses the FilePath parameter to specify the script being signed and the Certificate parameter to specify the certificate that is saved in the `$cert` variable. It uses the IncludeChain parameter to include all of the signatures in the trust chain, including the root authority. It also uses the TimeStampServer parameter to add a timestamp to the signature. This prevents the script from failing when the certificate expires.
PARAMETERS
-Certificate
Specifies the certificate that will be used to sign the script or file. Enter a variable that stores an object representing the certificate or an expression that gets the certificate.
To find a certificate, use `Get-PfxCertificate` or use the `Get-ChildItem` cmdlet in the Certificate `Cert:` drive. If the certificate is not valid or does not have `code-signing` authority, the command fails.
Type: System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.X509Certificate2
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: True
Position: 1
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Content
This parameter appears in the syntax listing because it is defined in the base class that `Set-AuthenticodeSignature` is derived from. However, support for this parameter is not implemented in `Set-AuthenticodeSignature`.
Type: System.Byte[]
Parameter Sets: ByContent
Aliases:
Required: True
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters: False
-FilePath
Specifies the path to a file that is being signed.
Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: ByPath
Aliases:
Required: True
Position: 1
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName, ByValue)
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Force
Allows the cmdlet to append a signature to a read-only file. Even using the Force parameter, the cmdlet cannot override security restrictions.
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-HashAlgorithm
Specifies the hashing algorithm that Windows uses to compute the digital signature for the file.
For PowerShell 3.0, the default is SHA256, which is the Windows default hashing algorithm. For PowerShell 2.0, the default is SHA1. Files that are signed with a different hashing algorithm might not be recognized on other systems. Which algorithms are supported depends on the version of the operating system.
For a list of possible values, see HashAlgorithmName Struct (/dotnet/api/system.security.cryptography.hashalgorithmname?view=netframework-4.7.2#properties).
Type: System.String
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: SHA256
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-IncludeChain
Determines which certificates in the certificate trust chain are included in the digital signature. NotRoot is the default.
Valid values are:
- Signer: Includes only the signer's certificate.
- NotRoot: Includes all of the certificates in the certificate chain, except for the root authority.
- All: Includes all the certificates in the certificate chain.
Type: System.String
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: NotRoot
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-LiteralPath
Specifies the path to a file that is being signed. Unlike FilePath , the value of the LiteralPath parameter is used exactly as it is typed. No characters are interpreted as wildcards. If the path includes escape characters, enclose it in single quotation marks. Single quotation marks tell PowerShell not to interpret any characters as escape sequences.
Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: ByLiteralPath
Aliases: PSPath
Required: True
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters: False
-SourcePathOrExtension
This parameter appears in the syntax listing because it is defined in the base class that `Set-AuthenticodeSignature` is derived from. However, support for this parameter is not implemented in `Set-AuthenticodeSignature`.
Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: ByContent
Aliases:
Required: True
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName, ByValue)
Accept wildcard characters: False
-TimestampServer
Uses the specified time stamp server to add a time stamp to the signature. Type the URL of the time stamp server as a string.
The time stamp represents the exact time that the certificate was added to the file. A time stamp prevents the script from failing if the certificate expires because users and programs can verify that the certificate was valid at the time of signing.
Type: System.String
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Confirm
Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: cf
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-WhatIf
Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: wi
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
CommonParameters
This cmdlet supports the common parameters: -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -InformationAction, -InformationVariable, -OutVariable, -OutBuffer, -PipelineVariable, -Verbose, -WarningAction, and -WarningVariable. For more information, see about_CommonParameters.
INPUTS
System.String
You can pipe a string that contains the file path to `Set-AuthenticodeSignature`.
OUTPUTS
System.Management.Automation.Signature
NOTES
This cmdlet is only available on Windows platforms.