Special Edition Using Java™ 2 Enterprise Edition

Why You Should Digitally Sign Code

When you write Java applets that must execute in a restricted environment, you might have to sign your code to allow it to perform all the functions it needs to. Signing your code is a good practice in general, however, because it verifies the origin of the code. Although it hasn't been a big problem up to now, it's possible for someone to redistribute hacked copies of a popular Java program and wreak havoc on unsuspecting users while giving the original author a bad name.

With Java beginning to appear in smaller devices that require more code to be kept on the servers, there's a good chance you'll have to digitally sign your client-side code more often than you have in the past.