An Automation Firm’s Unsigned Pipeline. Secured, Automated, and 80% Faster

[cs_hero title_colored = "An Automation Firm's Unsigned Pipeline." title_after = "Secured, Automated, and 80% Faster" industry = "Industrial Automation, PLC Software & Solutions" engagement_type = "CodeSign Secure Deployment, Azure DevOps CI/CD Integration" download_url = "https://preview.encryptionconsulting.com/wp-content/downloads/case-studies/Secured-Automated-and-Faster.pdf" ] [cs_excerpt] How Encryption Consulting integrated CodeSign Secure into an industrial automation company's Azure DevOps pipeline to automate code signing, secure private keys in HSMs, and cut AppLocker application launch time from 2:30 to 30 seconds. [/cs_excerpt] [cs_profile_desc] An industrial automation company that builds software for programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and complex process automation. Established regional presence focused on software authenticity, validation, and data integrity. [/cs_profile_desc] [cs_at_a_glance stat1="2:30 → 30s" label1="AppLocker application launch time reduced by 80%" stat2="Automated" label2="Azure DevOps CI/CD pipeline with fully automated code signing" stat3="FIPS 140-2" label3="Level 3 HSM compliance across all private key storage" stat4="CA/B Forum" label4="June 2023 met with RFC 3161 and Authenticode timestamps" ] [/cs_hero] [cs_challenges desc=”The organization’s Azure DevOps pipeline had no code signing integration. Software deployment depended on manual verification, the infrastructure was exposed to tampering, and compliance gaps jeopardized data security.”] [cs_challenge icon=”0″ title=”No code signing in the CI/CD pipeline” tag=”Code Signing”] Code signing was missing from the Azure DevOps pipeline, so every deployment required manual checks that slowed releases. There was no automated way to verify code authenticity or integrity before production. [/cs_challenge] [cs_challenge icon=”1″ title=”Security vulnerabilities from unsigned code” tag=”Security”] Without code signing, the organization was exposed to code tampering and malicious code injection. These vulnerabilities compromised user applications and put the broader software infrastructure at risk. [/cs_challenge] [cs_challenge icon=”2″ title=”AppLocker causing 2:30 application launch delays” tag=”Performance”] AppLocker pushed application launch times to 2 minutes and 30 seconds, which frustrated users during critical tasks. The delay came from multiple certificates and hashes in AppLocker rules and hurt both workflow speed and productivity. [/cs_challenge] [/cs_challenges]

[cs_quote author=”Encryption Consulting” role=”Engagement Summary · Encryption Consulting · CodeSign Secure”] Without code signing in the pipeline, every deployment was an unverified trust assumption. Software authenticity, regulatory compliance, and application performance were all affected. [/cs_quote]

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[cs_solutions desc=”CodeSign Secure was integrated into the organization’s Azure DevOps pipeline. It automated code signing across multiple file formats, secured private keys in HSMs, established signed audit trails, and optimized AppLocker performance.”] [cs_solution title=”Azure DevOps Pipeline Integration & Multi-Format Signing” image_url=”https://ecwebsitedata.blob.core.windows.net/encryption-consulting-website-data/2026/07/Secured-Automated-and-Faster-solution-banner-1.jpg”] CodeSign Secure was integrated with Azure DevOps to automate code signing for PDF, XML, MS Authenticode, and Java formats. Every code push receives a digital signature that verifies authenticity and integrity before deployment. No manual step required. [/cs_solution] [cs_solution title=”HSM Key Protection & Granular Access Controls” image_url=”https://ecwebsitedata.blob.core.windows.net/encryption-consulting-website-data/2026/07/Secured-Automated-and-Faster-solution-banner-2.jpg”] An HSM was deployed for secure private key storage to prevent unauthorized access, leakage, or breach. Granular access controls based on P12 certificates, user permissions, and application-specific rules determine which certificates can be used in each environment. [/cs_solution] [cs_solution title=”AppLocker Optimization” image_url=”https://ecwebsitedata.blob.core.windows.net/encryption-consulting-website-data/2026/07/Secured-Automated-and-Faster-solution-banner-3.jpg”] Application launch time dropped from 2:30 to 30 seconds. A single CodeSign Secure signing rule replaced the multiple certificates and hashes in AppLocker rules, which removed the bottleneck without losing application control. [/cs_solution] [cs_solution title=”Audit Trails, Timestamps & Compliance” image_url=”https://ecwebsitedata.blob.core.windows.net/encryption-consulting-website-data/2026/07/Secured-Automated-and-Faster-solution-banner-4.jpg”] Signed audit trails recorded every signing operation with tamper-free documentation. Each signature received secure timestamps per RFC 3161 and Authenticode standards. The process met FIPS 140-2 Level 3 HSM and CA/Browser Forum June 2023 requirements end to end. [/cs_solution] [/cs_solutions]

[cs_quote direction=”rtl” author=”Encryption Consulting” role=”Engagement Summary · Encryption Consulting · CodeSign Secure”] The result was a fully automated, HSM-secured code signing process integrated directly into the Azure DevOps pipeline, with every signature auditable, every key protected, and application launch times cut by 80%. [/cs_quote]

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[cs_outcomes desc=”CodeSign Secure turned the organization’s code signing from a manual, insecure process into a fast, automated, and compliant operation that strengthened security and market credibility.”] [cs_outcome title=”Automated signing, faster deployment”] Automated code signing via Azure DevOps eliminated manual verification and overhead. Delivery is now faster, more reliable, and fully hands-off. [/cs_outcome] [cs_outcome title=”Hardened security, full compliance”] HSM-protected private keys eliminated unauthorized access risk and secured infrastructure against code tampering and malicious injection, meeting HIPAA, GDPR, FIPS 140-2 Level 3, and CA/Browser Forum standards. [/cs_outcome] [cs_outcome title=”Stronger user trust and market standing”] Secure code signing gives end users confidence that software is authentic from creation to deployment. The 80% cut in AppLocker launch time further improved efficiency and the organization’s security reputation. [/cs_outcome] [/cs_outcomes]

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