Renewing my authenticode digital certificates
The authenticode digital certificates I purchased again in 2019 expired just lately, so I needed to get a brand new certificates (you may’t renew a certificates, as such, you simply want to purchase a brand new one). A couple of months earlier than the expiry I emailed KSoftware.web, who I had purchased earlier digital certificates from and with whom I had at all times had a very good expertise up to now. No reply. I attempted a pair extra occasions, together with the private e mail of Mitchell, the founder. Nothing. Another person instructed me they’d had related experiences. Their recent trustpilot ratings are a horror show. And the copyright date on their web site is ‘2003 – 2021’. However they have been nonetheless promoting on Google Adwords. I do not know what is going on right here. In case you are studying this Mitchell, I hope you might be okay.
With KSoftware out of the image I appeared elsewhere. Ultimately I ended up shopping for a brand new Sectigo certificates from signmycode.com. I partly selected them as a result of they supplied a 5 yr certficate and the much less usually I’ve to undergo the ball ache of a getting a brand new certificates, the higher. The expertise was decidely blended.
The great:
- The costs appear affordable, in comparison with different choices.
- Assist was responsive. English didn’t look like their first language, nevertheless it was ok.
- I bought my new certificates inside a couple of days and have had no points with it thus far. The change in certificates appears to be set off a couple of buyer’s anti-virus software program, however that was to be anticipated.
The mediocre:
- The net steering and documentation on the method was mediocre, at finest.
- I used to be a bit confused about whether or not I needed to click on ‘Purchase now’ or ‘Renew now’. It appears that is extra advertising/search engine optimisation functions and it doesn’t matter which you click on.
- I needed to ship them a photograph of me holding a authorities ID. This felt fairly uncomfortable, however may be one thing mandated by the certificates corporations.
The dangerous:
- After I bought my certificates I checked the expiry date and it was solely 3 years. After I queried this I used to be rold that the ‘5 yr certificates’ I believed I had purchased is not a 5 yr certificates. It’s a 3 yr certificates, then I’ve to use for a brand new pre-paid 2 yr certificates in 3 years time.
That is what you see whenever you click on on ‘Purchase now’:
Once you see this, wouldn’t you anticipate to get a single 5 yr certificates? If there was something explaining that this was 2 separate certificates, I didn’t discover it. It definitely didn’t point out it on their house web page. This feels misleading to me.
Who is aware of if this firm will nonetheless be there in 3 years time? I emailed them and instructed them I needed to maintain the brand new 3 yr certificates and for them to refund the two yr certificates. They mentioned they might solely refund the whole order after which I must begin the entire course of yet again. In addition they claimed:
“renewal validation is far more straightforward then shopping for a brand new certificates as a lot of the validation half is getting carry ahead.”
We’ll see. Purchaser beware.
See additionally: The nice digital certificates ripoff?
** Replace 08-Mar-2023 **
Michell of KSoftware has contact me to say that he’s alive and kicking. Learn the feedback beneath for extra particulars.
