How do I install a security certificate to Word documents?

[David Ng'ang'a]

I am trying to post Word documents to my website for sale. However when I do
this, viewers receive a security warning when opening the docs. I have
purchased a GeoTrust certificate which is working on https. I wonder if I can
extend the cert to cover the Word docs? If so, how?

Thanks

 

[Jezebel]

This is relevant only if your document contains macro code. If that's not
intended, remove all code modules from the document -- then the certificate
is not required.

If the macros are part of the product, open the document, switch to VBA, go
to Tools > Digital Signature and select your certificate. Your customers
will still get a warning the first time they open one of your documents,
asking whether they choose to trust your certificate. You should also lock
your VBA project.

 

[David Ng'ang'a]

Thanks for this.

However the docs contain no macros yet they still give the security warning.
And when I try using VBA, I get self-signed certificate choices only, not the
trusted certs for global distribution.

I have now installed my GeoTrust cert as a trusted cert in my comp, the
problem is I dont think it will be identified as a trusted cert when the Word
docs are opened on another comp.

David Ng'ang'a

This is relevant only if your document contains macro code. If that's not
intended, remove all code modules from the document -- then the certificate
is not required.

If the macros are part of the product, open the document, switch to VBA, go
to Tools > Digital Signature and select your certificate. Your customers
will still get a warning the first time they open one of your documents,
asking whether they choose to trust your certificate. You should also lock
your VBA project.

 

[Jezebel]

If there is no code, the certificate isn't be required -- with no code,
there's nothing to certify.

You sometimes get a problem if the document *used* to contain contain code,
even if it does no longer. Make sure there are no code modules -- Word
considers modules to be code, even if they are empty. Or copy the document
content to a new document.

Thanks for this.

However the docs contain no macros yet they still give the security
warning.
And when I try using VBA, I get self-signed certificate choices only, not
the
trusted certs for global distribution.

I have now installed my GeoTrust cert as a trusted cert in my comp, the
problem is I dont think it will be identified as a trusted cert when the
Word
docs are opened on another comp.

David Ng'ang'a

 

[Jay Freedman]

You'll also get the security warning if the document contains any
ActiveX components from the Control Toolbox or the Web toolbar.