No longer able to digitally sign VBA code in Excel 2016

Anonymous
2017-05-01T19:09:15+00:00

Hello all! 

I have a DigiCert issued code signing certificate that I have been able to use from January 2017 up until two weeks ago (about the time of the Creator's Update for Windows 10 Pro). The Cert is valid through 2020. Unfortunately, I when I try to sign VBA code with it now, I get the error message "There was a problem with the digital certificate. The VBA project could not be signed. The signature will be discarded.

Is anyone else getting this message when signing VBA code with a Cert that previously worked?

I was able to test on a co-worker’s computer running

OS: Windows 7 Pro SP1

Office: Office 365 ProPlus Ver 1701 (build 7766.2076).

I was able to successfully sign a macro file on this machine.

My computer is running

OS: Windows 10 Pro version 1703 (build 15063.250)

Office: Office 365 Ver 1701 (Build 7967.2139)

I am not able to successfully sign a macro file on my machine. I am able to successfully import the certificate though.

DigiCert of course blames the issue on Microsoft, and given that I can successfully sign on my co-worker's Windows 7 machine with a slightly older build of Office 365, I wonder if something  in the newer version of Office 365 broke the ability to sign VBA macros.

Thanks - Nate

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Anonymous
2017-08-03T18:12:15+00:00

Hi StephenGibb,

My re-installation must have missed the August updates you mention by a whisker. I forced an update just now, 1707 Build 8326.2062 is now my version. And, thankfully, it works!

Some extra info about when the problem was occurring for anyone else who might come across this thread:

As well as the failure to sign a project, Office was silently disabling all signed macros, not just those in the locations I mentioned above.

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  1. Anonymous
    2017-10-02T10:59:56+00:00

    Sorry I can't help. Our Office365 desktop installs are showing Version 1708 (Build 8431.2079)

    Not sure why your build number is so different.

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-10-02T10:55:41+00:00

    Is there anyone from Microsoft monitoring this? Can we have a workaround or fix please? 

    Office 2016 365 ProPlus Build 8201.2193 click to run. Signature is GlobalSign VBA Sha2. Tried system restore but unfortunately haven't got one that works. 

    Office 2010 is not affected.

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-10-02T10:52:28+00:00

    Same here, two machines running 365 ProPlus Click to Run 1705 (Build 8201.2193) - started this morning. No updates available. Office 2010 is working fine - Office 2016 doesn't recognise our signature and also doesn't allow us to sign our code.

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  4. Anonymous
    2017-09-27T13:02:11+00:00

    Exact same issue now happening with MS Office 365 ProPlus version 1705 (Build 8201.2193 Click to Run).   When I check for updates it says that there are none.

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