Best practices & troubleshooting

To ensure secure and reliable signing practices in your automated build environments, consider the following best practices.

  • Avoid storing PFX files directly on build agents; use AWS CloudHSM or KMS for secure key management.

  • Use timestamping for long-term signature validity.

  • Implement role-based access control via IAM.

  • Consider signing in isolated environments (e.g., CodeBuild or EC2 with least privilege).

The table below outlines common problems, their causes, and recommended solutions.

Issue

Possible Cause

Suggested Action

"No certificate found"

Incorrect PFX path or missing permissions

Check certificate path and access rights

"Provider cannot be found"

Middleware not installed or misconfigured

Ensure KSP or CNG bridge to AWS is correctly set up

"Signature invalid after 3 days"

Missing timestamp

Add /tr and /td flags to the command