Solved: macro virus warning

**Sebastian H** · 11-12-2010, 12:26 PM

Sporadically, I get the following warning:

The macros in this file do not match the digital signature. Only a macro virus would cause this. Please scan for viruses, and notify the publisher of this document. Macros will be disabled.

I scanned for viruses, but there was no macro virus found. I notified the publisher - which happens to be myself. So what do I do? This dialog sounds like a firefighters saying: "Your house is on fire. Please contact the home owner."

Actually, I'm pretty sure it's not a virus per this related post. However, the solution of that post doesn't apply, since I don't have any fancy things like multiple computers. This just happens sporadically, about once for every 5 times I open a file I signed. I found no pattern in when it complains, and when it doesn't.

**Bob Phillips** · 11-12-2010, 03:23 PM

Try re-signing the project.

**Sebastian H** · 11-12-2010, 03:59 PM

I'm not sure what exactly you mean by "re-signing".

Do you mean running Digital Certificate for VBA Projects again to create another signature? I did that once, but the new signature is just a spitting image of the first one, and behaves no better.

Or do you mean the following?
① In VBIDE, select Tools → Digital signature
② Remove existing signature
③ Choose new signature
④ Save file and exit Excel
⑤ Start Excel again, and tell it to always trust myself.

I do that each time when that happens.Part of why I'm unsure if that's what you mean is that I don't see any other way to move on. My impression was that Excel doesn't allow me to work with macros unless I remove the signature. So, if I want to keep working with signatures, it seems to me that I have to choose a signature again. Are you aware of another way? If so, I could try that one for a change and see if that helps.

**mdmackillop** · 11-12-2010, 04:00 PM

Changing the code can cause the signature to be "lost"

**Sebastian H** · 11-13-2010, 10:28 AM

Ah, thank you! So, what do you guys do about that? I guess you must be changing code all the time, too. Of course, this is no big problem, but it defeats the purpose, since frequent re-signing is no less annoying than regular macro enabling.