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
    2017-05-09T13:33:21+00:00

    Hmm... I see that two other people have the same question, but no response after a week. Is this a bug?

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-05-11T15:45:38+00:00

    Hallo Nate,

    I have the same Problem signing VBA-Code.

    My first Computer is running Windows 8.1 with Office 2016 Version 1703. The signing on this computer don't work.

    On the other Computer, running Windows Pro 10 1703 and Office 365 Version 1703, the signing works perfect.

    On the first Computer there is Office 2010 and Office 2016 installed parallel - that means both Office versions can by started. In Excel 2010 I am able to sign the VBA-Code but in Excel 2016 it don't work with the same certificate.

    Winfried

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-05-11T16:21:16+00:00

    Winfried,

    Hmmm.... Can you tell me the build number of your Office 365? I thought that I had things working properly, but when I saved my "signed" file the cert was determined to have a problem and was deleted. On your Windows 10 machine are you using:

    OS: Windows 10 Pro version 1703 (build 15063.296)

    Office: Office 365 Ver 1701 (Build 7967.2139)

    If you have some other build of either, can you tell me what build you are on?

    Thanks!

    Nate

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  4. Anonymous
    2017-06-01T14:49:05+00:00

    I also have this problem and I have also posted about it here.

    This remains an issue in Version 1704 (Build 8067.2115) which is running on Windows 10 Pro Version 1703.

    I have two machines with the same configuration except one also has Office 2010 installed in parallel. Office 2010 works fine but Office 2016/365 does not.

    Another machine running Windows 7 with Office 2013 also works fine.

    In my case the certificate was issued by Thawte.

    The issue was introduced in a build of Office 365 version 1703. One day it worked fine the next, after an update, it was broken.

    Evidently it is not affecting enough people for Microsoft to hear the screams.

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