Notation vs SignPath Foundation

Notation is a command-line tool for signing and verifying container images and other artifacts in OCI registries, including software bills of materials. It implements the Notary Project specifications, which are intended to help secure software supply chains. Its signatures can move between OCI registries and be validated in connected, intermittently connected, or disconnected environments without additional server infrastructure. The specifications define signature envelopes using COSE or JWS. Notation can integrate with existing key management systems through a plugin model, with instructions for Azure Key Vault and AWS Signer. Developers and CI/CD pipelines can create signatures and store them alongside signed artifacts. The project provides a quick start for signing and validating a container image. Notation runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows and is free under the Apache 2.0 license. Cloud signing, trusted timestamping, and CI/CD signing are listed capabilities; a certificate is not provided. The specifications repository lists a 2023 security audit, and the project overview describes continuous fuzz testing across three repositories.

SignPath Foundation provides code-signing certificates to eligible open-source projects, with signing carried out through SignPath.io. For each release, SignPath.io checks that signed files are automated builds from the project’s stated source repository. Certificate private keys are generated and stored on a hardware security module. Each signing request requires a team member’s approval, and every release requires manual approval. Projects must assign author, reviewer, and approver responsibilities, while all team members must use multi-factor authentication for SignPath and repository access. Eligibility requires an actively maintained project with an existing release, an OSI-approved open-source license, and no proprietary code or malware. Supported build systems include Jenkins, GitHub, GitLab, Azure DevOps, TeamCity, and AppVeyor. Supported targets span Windows executables and scripts, MSI, CAB, AppX/MSIX, NuGet, Java archives, Android packages, RPM and Debian packages, Office macros, XML, JSON, OCI container images, ClickOnce, and other files. The free plan is free for eligible projects. Its certificate identifies SignPath Foundation as publisher, and the Foundation may decline applications.