Skip to content
English
Submit Support Ticket Go to Customer Portal Sign in
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

"Running this app might put your PC at risk"

Windows may display warning messages during the installation of GI.bench. This article explains the measures we have taken and why these warnings may still occur.

Download as PDF

During the installation of GI.bench, users may occasionally see a warning from Microsoft Defender SmartScreen indicating that the application is not recognized and may pose a risk.

To mitigate this, we use an Extended Validation (EV) Code Signing Certificate issued by Sectigo. This approach was effective for some time. However, Microsoft has since changed the behavior of Microsoft Defender SmartScreen. SmartScreen now evaluates software trustworthiness based not only on a valid code-signing certificate (which we have) but also on the application’s reputation, which can only be influenced to a limited extent by the software publisher.

A positive reputation is built over time and is influenced by factors such as:

  • Downloads from a trustworthy website

  • A stable installer filename (this is challenging because our installer name includes the version and release date, for example: GI.bench_Setup_64bit_V1.17.0.0_2025-04-30.exe)

  • Submission and scanning via the Microsoft Submission Portal

  • A high number of downloads

  • Users selecting “Run anyway” and marking the software as trustworthy (users may also choose to block it)

As a result, this warning may reappear with each new GI.bench release. At present, there is no practical way to completely prevent this behavior.

What users should do

If a SmartScreen warning appears, the installer can be started safely by selecting More information and then Run anyway.

Summary

  • The GI.bench installer is correctly signed with a valid EV Code Signing Certificate from Sectigo.

  • SmartScreen reputation is independent of certificate validity. Since August 2024, Microsoft treats EV and OV certificates equally.

  • New or infrequently downloaded applications, even when signed, may not immediately have a positive reputation and can therefore be blocked.

  • The installer has already been submitted for review via the official Microsoft Submission Portal.

  • Building reputation can take 1–5 working days or longer, depending on distribution and user adoption.

  • Unfortunately, there is no mechanism to force immediate SmartScreen approval, even with an EV certificate