Providing reliable content to end users is an important part of app development, especially considering apps that have paid features or other elements that depend on trusted information. This article provides detailed instructions for creating secure, digitally signed content and testing its validity.

A Real World Example

Mary, app developer for Contrary, Inc., has been told to create an app that will run as a demo until the end user pays for a license. Once a license it obtained, and installed, the app should run without any restrictions.

Your Own Digital Certificate

Digital signatures are often used to offer assurance that content came from a known source, and that it has not been tampered with. A digital signature can be verified by a certificate authority or can be self-signed.

For the purposes of signing content specifically for app use, having a digital signature verified by a CA is unnecessary. After all, the communication path will be between the developer and the app, and will not involve any other party.