Driver Signing for Kernel-Mode Software for x64-based Systems

I promised to let the list know my experiences getting a Verisign code
signing certificate, so at the risk of reviving a thread that needed to die,
here it is.

First, my business organization is a single member LLC, i.e. a sole
proprietorship to the federal bloodsuckers, and Limited Liability
Corporation to the state bloodsuckers.

I filled out the form online without any issues.

The verification procedure that Verisign uses is:

  1. They check with your state/country/whatever to ensure that the company
    exists.
  2. They attempt to get a phone number for the company through directory
    assistance and then call the company to verify the information.

The first check succeeded very quickly.

The second check failed at first, because there is no directory listing for
PrvTek’s VOIP line. Instead, I needed to FAX them a copy of my phone bill,
which they then used to contact me for the final verification.

If I had been unable to produce a phone bill in the company’s name, they
would have required a notarized letter.

In all it took about 3 days from online application to having the
certificate on disk.

  • Dan.

----- Original Message -----
From: “Dan Kyler”
To: “Windows System Software Devs Interest List”
Sent: Thursday, February 02, 2006 7:26 AM
Subject: Re: Re:[ntdev] Re:Driver Signing for Kernel-Mode Software for
x64-based Systems

> Sounds like it’s time to move out of Mass. I did it 16 years ago, with no
> regrets. Well, exactly one regret: affordable, fresh, live Maine lobster.
>
> I’m not sure I understand your distinction between “going Sole
> Proprietor”, and doing what you’re doing now. You’re (presumably)
> accepting payment for services, without having an employment arrangement
> or a recognized organization of your own (LLC, Partnership, S-Corp,
> C-Corp, etc.). If that’s not a Sole Proprietorship on a schedule C, what
> is? Or, are you saying that just the act of getting a simple trade name
> puts you in the same boat with the PRM tax collector?
>
> I suppose you could be taking short term W2 jobs as an actual employee, in
> which case I can see no reason why your employer would not have their own
> certificate to sign their own code. Of course that sort of arrangement
> would be worse than the aforementioned root canal, to me. My teeth & gums
> still hurt from the last few years.
>
> Within the next couple of weeks, I am going to need to get my own (well
> actually PrivTek, LLC’s) Verisign certificate. I’ll let the list know how
> it goes.
>
> - Dan.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: “Don Burn”
> Newsgroups: ntdev
> To: “Windows System Software Devs Interest List”
> Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 5:18 PM
> Subject: Re:[ntdev] Re:Driver Signing for Kernel-Mode Software for
> x64-based Systems
>
>
>> Dan,
>>
>> Been there tried that it will not work. Going Sole Proprietor let
>> alone LLC is to me about as appealing a root canal without anesthetic.
>>
>>
>> –
>> Don Burn (MVP, Windows DDK)
>> Windows 2k/XP/2k3 Filesystem and Driver Consulting
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> “Dan Kyler” wrote in message news:xxxxx@ntdev…
>>> If I were you, I would say:
>>>
>>> Name: Don Burn
>>> Company: Don Burn
>>>
>>> Also, I don’t know about your state, but in Colorado it costs something
>>> like $5 to register a trade name (AKA DBA). You’d still be a sole
>>> proprietor, but could open bank accounts, have a phone line, a credit
>>> card, and, presumably a Verisign certificate under the name of “Don’s
>>> House of Drivers”.
>>>
>>> - Dan.
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: “Don Burn”
>>> Newsgroups: ntdev
>>> To: “Windows System Software Devs Interest List”
>>> Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 8:57 AM
>>> Subject: Re:[ntdev] Driver Signing for Kernel-Mode Software for
>>> x64-based Systems
>>>
>>>
>>>> One thing to report is that this weekend, I worked my way through most
>>>> of the forms to get a Verisign ID. I became disturbed at the number of
>>>> places I needed to fill in data about a company when I don’t have one
>>>> so I did not complete the process. Instead, I quiered Verisign about
>>>> how an individual can get a driver signing ID and what to put in for a
>>>> company when you do not have one (blank does not work). They indicate
>>>> that they answer most questions in less than 8 hours, so far I have
>>>> heard nothing.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> –
>>>> Don Burn (MVP, Windows DDK)
>>>> Windows 2k/XP/2k3 Filesystem and Driver Consulting
>>>> Remove StopSpam from the email to reply
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> wrote in message news:xxxxx@ntdev…
>>>>> By the way, we’re planning a major article on x64 driver signing in
>>>>> the upcoming issue of The NT Insider. We’ve had good discussions with
>>>>> the folks at Microsoft who are implementing this (and are planning
>>>>> more). While we can’t PROMISE any break-throughs we SHOULD at least be
>>>>> able to provide some answers that have a lower BS-factor than those
>>>>> provided in the FAQ.
>>>>>
>>>>> The Jan/Feb issue of The NT Insider is planned to go to press next
>>>>> week,
>>>>>
>>>>> P
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> —
>>>> Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
>>>> http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256
>>>>
>>>> You are currently subscribed to ntdev as: xxxxx@privtek.com
>>>> To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> —
>> Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
>> http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256
>>
>> You are currently subscribed to ntdev as: xxxxx@privtek.com
>> To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com
>
>
>
> —
> Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
> http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256
>
> You are currently subscribed to ntdev as: xxxxx@privtek.com
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com

Is the certificate you received a cert for a single driver, or can you use
that cert to sign any number of drivers that you produce? (With the obvious
next question of – will Vista accept the certs that you create, if so.)

– arlie

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Dan Kyler
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 9:09 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: Re: Re:[ntdev] Re:Driver Signing for Kernel-Mode Software for
x64-based Systems

I promised to let the list know my experiences getting a Verisign code
signing certificate, so at the risk of reviving a thread that needed to die,
here it is.

First, my business organization is a single member LLC, i.e. a sole
proprietorship to the federal bloodsuckers, and Limited Liability
Corporation to the state bloodsuckers.

I filled out the form online without any issues.

The verification procedure that Verisign uses is:

  1. They check with your state/country/whatever to ensure that the company
    exists.
  2. They attempt to get a phone number for the company through directory
    assistance and then call the company to verify the information.

The first check succeeded very quickly.

The second check failed at first, because there is no directory listing for
PrvTek’s VOIP line. Instead, I needed to FAX them a copy of my phone bill,
which they then used to contact me for the final verification.

If I had been unable to produce a phone bill in the company’s name, they
would have required a notarized letter.

In all it took about 3 days from online application to having the
certificate on disk.

  • Dan.

That was about my experience as well. Lack of a corporate phone number
required a notarized letter. Process took less than a week. Renewal was
a credit card transaction.

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Arlie Davis
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 11:36 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: Re:[ntdev] Re:Driver Signing for Kernel-Mode Software for
x64-based Systems

Is the certificate you received a cert for a single driver, or can you
use
that cert to sign any number of drivers that you produce? (With the
obvious
next question of – will Vista accept the certs that you create, if so.)

– arlie

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Dan Kyler
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 9:09 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: Re: Re:[ntdev] Re:Driver Signing for Kernel-Mode Software for
x64-based Systems

I promised to let the list know my experiences getting a Verisign code
signing certificate, so at the risk of reviving a thread that needed to
die,
here it is.

First, my business organization is a single member LLC, i.e. a sole
proprietorship to the federal bloodsuckers, and Limited Liability
Corporation to the state bloodsuckers.

I filled out the form online without any issues.

The verification procedure that Verisign uses is:

  1. They check with your state/country/whatever to ensure that the
    company
    exists.
  2. They attempt to get a phone number for the company through directory
    assistance and then call the company to verify the information.

The first check succeeded very quickly.

The second check failed at first, because there is no directory listing
for
PrvTek’s VOIP line. Instead, I needed to FAX them a copy of my phone
bill,
which they then used to contact me for the final verification.

If I had been unable to produce a phone bill in the company’s name, they
would have required a notarized letter.

In all it took about 3 days from online application to having the
certificate on disk.

  • Dan.

Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256

You are currently subscribed to ntdev as: xxxxx@stratus.com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com

Yes, the notarized letter, this was my experience.

I have established a WinQual account and will be submitting several drivers
in the near future, so far without issue.

Pete

Kernel Drivers
Windows Filesystem and Device Driver Consulting
www.KernelDrivers.com
(303)546-0300

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Roddy, Mark
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 11:13 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: Re:[ntdev] Re:Driver Signing for Kernel-Mode Software for
x64-based Systems

That was about my experience as well. Lack of a corporate phone number
required a notarized letter. Process took less than a week. Renewal was
a credit card transaction.

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Arlie Davis
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 11:36 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: Re:[ntdev] Re:Driver Signing for Kernel-Mode Software for
x64-based Systems

Is the certificate you received a cert for a single driver, or can you
use
that cert to sign any number of drivers that you produce? (With the
obvious
next question of – will Vista accept the certs that you create, if so.)

– arlie

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Dan Kyler
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 9:09 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: Re: Re:[ntdev] Re:Driver Signing for Kernel-Mode Software for
x64-based Systems

I promised to let the list know my experiences getting a Verisign code
signing certificate, so at the risk of reviving a thread that needed to
die,
here it is.

First, my business organization is a single member LLC, i.e. a sole
proprietorship to the federal bloodsuckers, and Limited Liability
Corporation to the state bloodsuckers.

I filled out the form online without any issues.

The verification procedure that Verisign uses is:

  1. They check with your state/country/whatever to ensure that the
    company
    exists.
  2. They attempt to get a phone number for the company through directory
    assistance and then call the company to verify the information.

The first check succeeded very quickly.

The second check failed at first, because there is no directory listing
for
PrvTek’s VOIP line. Instead, I needed to FAX them a copy of my phone
bill,
which they then used to contact me for the final verification.

If I had been unable to produce a phone bill in the company’s name, they
would have required a notarized letter.

In all it took about 3 days from online application to having the
certificate on disk.

  • Dan.

Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256

You are currently subscribed to ntdev as: xxxxx@stratus.com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com


Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256

You are currently subscribed to ntdev as: unknown lmsubst tag argument: ‘’
To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com

You can basically sign anything you want with it. Driver packages,
executables. It’s not for just a single piece of code.

From what I understand from this thread and the documents it points to, this
is the cert that would be necessary for Vista, although that’s not the
(immediate) reason I needed it.

  • Dan.

----- Original Message -----
From: “Arlie Davis”
To: “Windows System Software Devs Interest List”
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 9:36 AM
Subject: RE: Re:[ntdev] Re:Driver Signing for Kernel-Mode Software for
x64-based Systems

> Is the certificate you received a cert for a single driver, or can you use
> that cert to sign any number of drivers that you produce? (With the
> obvious
> next question of – will Vista accept the certs that you create, if so.)
>
> – arlie
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
> [mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Dan Kyler
> Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 9:09 AM
> To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
> Subject: Re: Re:[ntdev] Re:Driver Signing for Kernel-Mode Software for
> x64-based Systems
>
> I promised to let the list know my experiences getting a Verisign code
> signing certificate, so at the risk of reviving a thread that needed to
> die,
> here it is.
>
> First, my business organization is a single member LLC, i.e. a sole
> proprietorship to the federal bloodsuckers, and Limited Liability
> Corporation to the state bloodsuckers.
>
> I filled out the form online without any issues.
>
> The verification procedure that Verisign uses is:
> 1) They check with your state/country/whatever to ensure that the company
> exists.
> 2) They attempt to get a phone number for the company through directory
> assistance and then call the company to verify the information.
>
> The first check succeeded very quickly.
>
> The second check failed at first, because there is no directory listing
> for
> PrvTek’s VOIP line. Instead, I needed to FAX them a copy of my phone
> bill,
> which they then used to contact me for the final verification.
>
> If I had been unable to produce a phone bill in the company’s name, they
> would have required a notarized letter.
>
> In all it took about 3 days from online application to having the
> certificate on disk.
>
> - Dan.
>
>
>
>
> —
> Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
> http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256
>
> You are currently subscribed to ntdev as: xxxxx@privtek.com
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com

That is the same procedure I followed acquiring a Verisign certificate in
California and Oklahoma. I had to send the notarized letter and copy of my
DBA or business license.

Gary G. Little

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Dan Kyler
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 8:09 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: Re: Re:[ntdev] Re:Driver Signing for Kernel-Mode Software for
x64-based Systems

I promised to let the list know my experiences getting a Verisign code
signing certificate, so at the risk of reviving a thread that needed to
die,
here it is.

First, my business organization is a single member LLC, i.e. a sole
proprietorship to the federal bloodsuckers, and Limited Liability
Corporation to the state bloodsuckers.

I filled out the form online without any issues.

The verification procedure that Verisign uses is:

  1. They check with your state/country/whatever to ensure that the company
    exists.
  2. They attempt to get a phone number for the company through directory
    assistance and then call the company to verify the information.

The first check succeeded very quickly.

The second check failed at first, because there is no directory listing
for
PrvTek’s VOIP line. Instead, I needed to FAX them a copy of my phone
bill,
which they then used to contact me for the final verification.

If I had been unable to produce a phone bill in the company’s name, they
would have required a notarized letter.

In all it took about 3 days from online application to having the
certificate on disk.

  • Dan.

----- Original Message -----
From: “Dan Kyler”
To: “Windows System Software Devs Interest List”
Sent: Thursday, February 02, 2006 7:26 AM
Subject: Re: Re:[ntdev] Re:Driver Signing for Kernel-Mode Software for
x64-based Systems

> Sounds like it’s time to move out of Mass. I did it 16 years ago, with
no
> regrets. Well, exactly one regret: affordable, fresh, live Maine
lobster.
>
> I’m not sure I understand your distinction between “going Sole
> Proprietor”, and doing what you’re doing now. You’re (presumably)
> accepting payment for services, without having an employment arrangement

> or a recognized organization of your own (LLC, Partnership, S-Corp,
> C-Corp, etc.). If that’s not a Sole Proprietorship on a schedule C,
what
> is? Or, are you saying that just the act of getting a simple trade name

> puts you in the same boat with the PRM tax collector?
>
> I suppose you could be taking short term W2 jobs as an actual employee,
in
> which case I can see no reason why your employer would not have their
own
> certificate to sign their own code. Of course that sort of arrangement
> would be worse than the aforementioned root canal, to me. My teeth &
gums
> still hurt from the last few years.
>
> Within the next couple of weeks, I am going to need to get my own (well
> actually PrivTek, LLC’s) Verisign certificate. I’ll let the list know
how
> it goes.
>
> - Dan.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: “Don Burn”
> Newsgroups: ntdev
> To: “Windows System Software Devs Interest List”
> Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 5:18 PM
> Subject: Re:[ntdev] Re:Driver Signing for Kernel-Mode Software for
> x64-based Systems
>
>
>> Dan,
>>
>> Been there tried that it will not work. Going Sole Proprietor let
>> alone LLC is to me about as appealing a root canal without anesthetic.
>>
>>
>> –
>> Don Burn (MVP, Windows DDK)
>> Windows 2k/XP/2k3 Filesystem and Driver Consulting
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> “Dan Kyler” wrote in message news:xxxxx@ntdev…
>>> If I were you, I would say:
>>>
>>> Name: Don Burn
>>> Company: Don Burn
>>>
>>> Also, I don’t know about your state, but in Colorado it costs
something
>>> like $5 to register a trade name (AKA DBA). You’d still be a sole
>>> proprietor, but could open bank accounts, have a phone line, a credit
>>> card, and, presumably a Verisign certificate under the name of “Don’s
>>> House of Drivers”.
>>>
>>> - Dan.
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: “Don Burn”
>>> Newsgroups: ntdev
>>> To: “Windows System Software Devs Interest List”
>>> Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 8:57 AM
>>> Subject: Re:[ntdev] Driver Signing for Kernel-Mode Software for
>>> x64-based Systems
>>>
>>>
>>>> One thing to report is that this weekend, I worked my way through
most
>>>> of the forms to get a Verisign ID. I became disturbed at the number
of
>>>> places I needed to fill in data about a company when I don’t have one

>>>> so I did not complete the process. Instead, I quiered Verisign about

>>>> how an individual can get a driver signing ID and what to put in for
a
>>>> company when you do not have one (blank does not work). They
indicate
>>>> that they answer most questions in less than 8 hours, so far I have
>>>> heard nothing.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> –
>>>> Don Burn (MVP, Windows DDK)
>>>> Windows 2k/XP/2k3 Filesystem and Driver Consulting
>>>> Remove StopSpam from the email to reply
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> wrote in message news:xxxxx@ntdev…
>>>>> By the way, we’re planning a major article on x64 driver signing in
>>>>> the upcoming issue of The NT Insider. We’ve had good discussions
with
>>>>> the folks at Microsoft who are implementing this (and are planning
>>>>> more). While we can’t PROMISE any break-throughs we SHOULD at least
be
>>>>> able to provide some answers that have a lower BS-factor than those
>>>>> provided in the FAQ.
>>>>>
>>>>> The Jan/Feb issue of The NT Insider is planned to go to press next
>>>>> week,
>>>>>
>>>>> P
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> —
>>>> Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
>>>> http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256
>>>>
>>>> You are currently subscribed to ntdev as: xxxxx@privtek.com
>>>> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
xxxxx@lists.osr.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> —
>> Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
>> http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256
>>
>> You are currently subscribed to ntdev as: xxxxx@privtek.com
>> To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com
>
>
>
> —
> Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
> http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256
>
> You are currently subscribed to ntdev as: xxxxx@privtek.com
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com


Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256

You are currently subscribed to ntdev as: xxxxx@seagate.com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com