T1587.002 Code Signing Certificates

Technique: T1587.002
Tactics: Resource Development
Research, 90 days: 1
KEV CVEs mapped: 0
SigmaHQ rules: 0
Elastic, Splunk: 1
thrunt rules: 0
Upstream: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1587/002

MITRE description

Adversaries may create self-signed code signing certificates that can be used during targeting. Code signing is the process of digitally signing executables and scripts to confirm the software author and guarantee that the code has not been altered or corrupted. Code signing provides a level of authenticity for a program from the developer and a guarantee that the program has not been tampered with.(Citation: Wikipedia Code Signing) Users and/or security tools may trust a signed piece of code more than an unsigned piece of code even if they don't know who issued the certificate or who the author is. Prior to [Code Signing](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1553/002), adversaries may develop self-signed code signing certificates for use in operations.

Research citing this technique

Reports and advisories from the last 90 days that cite this technique.

2026-08-13 Recorded Future Insikt: Malware Crypting Services and the Threat Actors Who Sell Them

Detection coverage

Elastic and Splunk rules

Cisco Secure Firewall - Blacklisted SSL Certificate Fingerprint (splunk)

Signal counts reflect the current corpus snapshot. Research citations are the technique IDs named in vendor reports and government advisories from the last 90 days; KEV mappings come from MITRE CTID. Coverage is the SigmaHQ rule inventory (core, emerging-threats, threat-hunting) plus Elastic and Splunk production rules. Rule bodies are not mirrored; links go upstream.