Question

I’ve built an installer for my C# WPF application with visual setup project.

I shared my project in a web site. But when I download the installer, I receive a warning (actually looks like terrible error or virus) that the application (setup.exe) can harm my computer and apocalypse will come in near future if run it.

I know my installer is not signed by MS certificate, but I know other 3rd party application installers without certificate and warning not being shown (e.g. notepad++).

Do you have any suggestions or solution of my problem?

Answer 1

You’re probably a victim of SmartScreen. This blog post explains it in more detail, and how you can build reputation:

Reputation is also generated for digitally signed downloads based on the digital certificate used to sign the file. Digital certificates allow reputation to be assigned to a single identity (digital certificate) across multiple files. If you are not signing your programs, reputation will be built independently for each file you distribute. In contrast, signed programs may inherit the reputation of your digital certificate.

_{I’ve been bitten by this recently, in the Windows 8 Consumer Preview SmartScreen blocked a ClickOnce application I was developing from running without warning. I guess they’re still working on it…}