How do I "sign" a program

[Mark F]

How do I "sign" a file that I have not created.

The "signature" would only be valid for the specific computer that
I sign the file on.

The usage would be that I would get a file from a third party verify
that I trust the file, then sign the file with my own local signature.

This way I could get unsigned software and not have to repeatedly
tell my Windows 7 system that it was OK to run the unsigned software
as Administrator.

 

[Dave-UK]

How do I "sign" a file that I have not created.

The "signature" would only be valid for the specific computer that
I sign the file on.

The usage would be that I would get a file from a third party verify
that I trust the file, then sign the file with my own local signature.

This way I could get unsigned software and not have to repeatedly
tell my Windows 7 system that it was OK to run the unsigned software
as Administrator.

I'm not a programmer but I think the file is signed at creation with a digital
certificate. It's not something you can do to somebody else's file.
The software you are trying to run needs to be updated to run with UAC enabled.

 

[Joe Morris]

How do I "sign" a file that I have not created.

The "signature" would only be valid for the specific computer that
I sign the file on.

The usage would be that I would get a file from a third party verify
that I trust the file, then sign the file with my own local signature.

This way I could get unsigned software and not have to repeatedly
tell my Windows 7 system that it was OK to run the unsigned software
as Administrator.

Try looking at the code-signing tools documented on MSDN:

signtool.exe (don't use the obsolete signcode.exe utility)
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/8s9b9yaz.aspx

cert2spc.exe
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/f657tk8f.aspx

makecert.exe (this is the one from .NET 3.5)
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bfsktky3.aspx

These utilities will give you the ability to create your own self-signed
code-signing PKI certificates and use them to sign executables.

The MSDN documentation for the commands meets Microsoft's usual low
standards for clarity when read by someone not intimately familiar with the
subject. You'll probably need to play around with the tools to figure out
just which of the switches you need; I suggest that once you figure out what
works you save a text file with the exact command text used so that next
time you can refer to your notes rather than again flailing around with the
command line switches.

Joe Morris