Patent ID: 8284942

Claim:
A method for digitally signing software code, the method comprising: creating a private/public key pair; exporting the private/public key pair to a PFX file; using a user-supplied password for encrypting the PFX file; adding the encrypted PFX file with the private/public key pair therein to a user's project contained in a first machine; managing the encrypted PFX file using file-managing tools that are used for managing files in said first machine; responsive to a first time user attempt to use the private key for signing software code on said first machine, utilizing said user-supplied password to decrypt said encrypted PFX file and access said private/public key pair contained therein; moving said private/public key pair into a non-exportable key container in a local cryptographic store of said first machine, the non-exportable key container store configured to prevent export of said private/public key pair from said first machine; and automatically directing subsequent user attempts to use said private key to said non-exportable key container rather than to said encrypted PFX file, so that said private key can be used without re-entry of said user-supplied password each time use of said private key is desired.