No longer able to digitally sign VBA code in Excel 2016

Anonymous

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

***Post moved by the moderator to the appropriate forum category.***

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

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.

0 comments

50 additional answers

Anonymous

2017-07-21T15:52:34+00:00

The issue relates to registry entries for mso.dll under the keys noted in Bryan Reich's post earlier in this thread.

I'm sure that you'll be able to find the relevant entries on a working machine.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2017-07-21T15:24:34+00:00

Thanks for the insight.

I understand your thinking on the registry script/changes required and not posting them on the here. Makes sense.

I'm guessing that the O365 business support desk won't have the necessary registry changes available to them if I was to raise a support call? Sorry to pester you on this!

Much appreciated.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2017-07-21T13:34:40+00:00

Bryan Reich is a developer on the O365 team.

As the right people at Microsoft are now aware of this issue raising a support ticket is probably unnecessary.

Whilst I have created registry scripts for my own use I'm not sure that this is the right place to share them.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2017-07-21T13:09:00+00:00

Hi,

Yes it was originally installed from the O365 Portal.

It sounds like you are on the track of where the issue is coming from. Are you guys working with O365 team or feeding it back to them? Is this something I should raise as support ticket on the Admin Portal to help escalate this?

Final question, honest! If the problem relates to registry, is there a script available to correct the problem or is every computer unique?

Thanks!

Stephen.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments