Windows Logo Certified but still trapped by Smartscreen filter

Question

Hello

Our app has passed Windows 7 logo certification and the binary is signed but we still get the Smartscreen filter warning that our app might be dangerous when customers download our app. As we target a niche market our app is never going to be whatever IE thinks qualifies as commonly downloaded. How do we make this go away?

---

Answer 1

Hi Jen,

What is the publisher of your app certification, is it in the IE or system Trusted (Root) Certification Authorties list? If you just sign your app by your own certification, please deploy your certification with your app, and install it in the clients' machine.

Sincerely,

---

Bob Bao [MSFT]
MSDN Community Support | Feedback to us

Answer 2

Thank you for your response Bob. The exe is signed with a thawte certificate for code signing. We are an isv. The exe was signed prior to windows logo certification.

---

Jen

Answer 3

If it is possible, you could start one thread at the ISV forum: http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-us/isv/threads

And could you try to sign one simple sample, test it by IE9? We want to know more details about this issue. How do you sign, do you use the AntiMalware to check it? Do you verify the PE file integrity using certificates http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa382384(VS.85).aspx. 

---

Bob Bao [MSFT]
MSDN Community Support | Feedback to us

Answer 4

Thank you Bob. I have responded with a new post in the ISV forum as you suggested.

---

Jen

Answer 5

It has been over a week now since I cross-posted this issue to the ISV forum, but it has not drawn any response. SmartScreen filter seems to accept that the file is properly signed as it gives a yellow warning rather than a red warning. Also as it is a yellow warning rather than a red warning SmartScreen filter doesn't identify it as a virus. The warning is still frightening away customers though as it says my app is not commonly downloaded and could harm their computer. Windows Logo Certified doesn't seem to help at all. Where do I go from here?

---

Jen

Answer 6

Well, I will try to involve someone familiar with this topic to further look at this issue. There might be some time delay. Appreciate your patience.

---

Bob Bao [MSFT]
MSDN Community Support | Feedback to us

Answer 7

Hi Jen,

Thanks for your contacting Microsoft.

For your question, if you want to turn off the smartscreen of IE, please follow the below steps:

1) Enter "IE -> Tools -> SmartScreen Filter -> Turn Off SmartScreen Filter"

2) Select "Turn off SmartScreen Filter" and click OK in the popped window.

Here is the reference for how smartscreen works and how to turn on of turn off smartscreen:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/internet-explorer/products/ie-9/features/smartscreen-filter

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930168

Hope above resources will help you.

 

Thanks&Regards,

Xiaoman

Answer 8

I'm not asking how to turn off SmartScreen filter Xiaoman. I want SmartScreen filter to stop flagging our app as potentially dangerous. It is costing us business.

---

Jen

Answer 9

It is 3 weeks since posting this issue here and almost 2 weeks since Bob Bao said he would 'involve someone familiar with this topic'. But apart from the response from Xiaoman which missed the point, there is nothing.

I wonder why I bothered with Windows Logo Certification if SmartScreen filter is going to warn off potential customers.

Perhaps a workaround might be to detect the browser used; warn IE users that their browser is incompatible with my software and suggest they upgrade to Firefox or Chrome.

Has anyone had any success with this approach?

Jen

Answer 10

Hi Jen_T,

Thank you for your contacting Microsoft.

Firstly, I suggest you consult thawte that provide you the certificate because if SmartScreen Filter must pop up warning message if the certificate has some issue.

Other way, it's recommend you submit a service request to Microsoft Support from below link:

http://support.microsoft.com/select/Default.aspx?target=assistance

This problem is complicated and it has been in the scope of paid support since we should not be able to figure out the solution within the forum. We need do further research to find the root cause behind the appearance.

Thanks&Regards,

Answer 11

This problem went away when we our app passed Windows 8 certification.

---

Jen