There seem to be two folders holding assemblies in \Samples\Microsoft .NET.NET Framework 4
Assemblies and Assemblies signed.
Inspecting the metadata of the binaries says they are both signed.
What is the actual difference and when would it matter?
Both are signed with our private key file, however the “signed” ones are signed with a DigiCert code signing certificate as well. You can see this in Windows explorer when opening the details for the files. In some high security environments (and for a number of app certifications) a digital signature is required. However using digitally signed assemblies also has a number of drawbacks, e.g. firewall alerts, as the CLR is trying to access the Certificate Revocation List, which also takes some time during app startup.
Thus, our standard recommendation would be to stick to the unsigned assemblies as long as you don’t require digitally signed ones.
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