Azure Trusted Signing: Signed Binaries Still Triggering SmartScreen Warnings

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Azure Trusted Signing: Signed Binaries Still Triggering SmartScreen Warnings

Bernhard Weber 5

Hi, we are currently using Azure Trusted Signing to sign our software binaries. The signing process completes successfully, but despite the valid digital signature, our users are still encountering the Microsoft Defender SmartScreen warning when installing the package on new systems. Could you please advise us on how to resolve this? We would like to ensure our software is recognized as trusted by SmartScreen to avoid these warnings for our customers. Is there a specific process to whitelist our binaries or to expedite the reputation build-up for our releases? We are happy to provide specific file hashes or further technical details if needed for your investigation.

Thanks and best regards

VEMULA SRISAI 13,135 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-28T10:31:19.86+00:00

Bernhard Weber could you please share the Validation Id in the Private message.
Brian 5 Reputation points

2026-04-28T16:12:42.5866667+00:00

Same problem. How do we prevent our customers from seeing the smartscreen warning?
VEMULA SRISAI 13,135 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-05-14T10:37:19.92+00:00

Bernhard Weber We are working with our partner team to try to address this for Artifact Signing as our highest priority.

This is less of a change with Artifact Signing and more of a broader change in SmartScreen for all code signing noted in the https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/artifact-signing/faq#what-can-i-expect-when-i-see-smartscre…
Bernhard Weber 5 Reputation points

2026-05-18T13:44:27.3333333+00:00

@VEMULA SRISAI

Thanks. To clarify our situation: we observed the same SmartScreen warnings with both a DigiCert OV certificate and Azure Artifact Signing, so this isn't specific to the Artifact Signing service. Based on the FAQ and the linked SmartScreen documentation, I understand the answer is that reputation builds per file hash over time, and there's no expedite or whitelist mechanism. For our specific distribution model (COM Outlook add-in, deployed by customer IT admins with custom MSI parameters, low per-release download volume), we'll rely on Microsoft Security Intelligence submissions per release and on customer-side MOTW handling. If there's a documented path for enterprise ISVs in this distribution pattern that we've missed, I'd appreciate the pointer.

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VEMULA SRISAI 13,135 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-28T10:31:19.86+00:00

Bernhard Weber could you please share the Validation Id in the Private message.
Brian 5 Reputation points

2026-04-28T16:12:42.5866667+00:00

Same problem. How do we prevent our customers from seeing the smartscreen warning?
VEMULA SRISAI 13,135 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-05-14T10:37:19.92+00:00

Bernhard Weber We are working with our partner team to try to address this for Artifact Signing as our highest priority.

This is less of a change with Artifact Signing and more of a broader change in SmartScreen for all code signing noted in the https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/artifact-signing/faq#what-can-i-expect-when-i-see-smartscre…
Bernhard Weber 5 Reputation points

2026-05-18T13:44:27.3333333+00:00

@VEMULA SRISAI

Thanks. To clarify our situation: we observed the same SmartScreen warnings with both a DigiCert OV certificate and Azure Artifact Signing, so this isn't specific to the Artifact Signing service. Based on the FAQ and the linked SmartScreen documentation, I understand the answer is that reputation builds per file hash over time, and there's no expedite or whitelist mechanism. For our specific distribution model (COM Outlook add-in, deployed by customer IT admins with custom MSI parameters, low per-release download volume), we'll rely on Microsoft Security Intelligence submissions per release and on customer-side MOTW handling. If there's a documented path for enterprise ISVs in this distribution pattern that we've missed, I'd appreciate the pointer.

Answer 1

Meha-MSFT 1,720 Microsoft Employee Moderator

We are aware of this and are actively looking into this.

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Azure Trusted Signing: Signed Binaries Still Triggering SmartScreen Warnings

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