DigiCert Trusted Root G4 root certificate error: "The root certificate in the Prism.exe signature cannot be verified"
The big picture
In some cases, users on Windows running Prism 9.4.1 are receiving one or more of the following error messages:
"The root certificate in the Prism.exe signature cannot be verified. To resolve the problem, go to microsoft.com and search for "Root certificate updates". You may want to get help from your IT department."
"You are using a version of Prism that has been illegally modified (hacked) to violate our license. To download the trial version or purchase Prism, go to https://graphpad.com/"
When does this happen?
These errors may appear when running Prism 9.4.1 on a device running newly installed Windows.
What causes this issue?
The reason Prism displays these alerts is related to the introduction of the cross root "DigiCert Trusted Root G4" by DigiCert in the summer of 2022 that is used to sign Prism version 9.4.1. New Windows devices are apparently missing the new intermediate certificate authority (ICA) "DigiCert Trusted Root G4." This causes the authentication of the application to fail and the certificate validation message above to be displayed. However, there is likely nothing wrong with your Prism application!
You can find more details about this issue on DigiCert's website.
How to fix this issue
This problem is resolved in Prism version 9.5.0 and newer. These versions of Prism have been signed with an updated certificate. Additionally, this issue does not occur in Prism versions older than 9.4.1 as these used a different digital signature.
The solution for Prism 9.4.1 is to install the certificate as per the steps provided below.
To install certificates:
- Locate the prism.exe file. By default, this file is located in the folder: C:\Program Files\GraphPad\Prism 9
- Right-click on the prism.exe file and select Properties. Switch to the "Digital Signatures" section from the prism Properties dialog. Select one of the certificates from the signatures list and click the Details button.
- After clicking the Details button, you will see the "Digital Signature Details" dialog. Click the View Certificate button on the General tab.
- After clicking the View Certificate button, you will see the Certificate dialog. Click the Install Certificate button on the General tab.
- The Certificate Import Wizard dialog will appear. Click Next. Make sure that "Current User" is selected and click Next again.
- Ensure that "Automatically select the certificate store based on the type of certificate" is selected and click Next.
- Be sure that "Certificate Store Selected" is selected, then click Finish on the Certificate Import Wizard.
- You should now see a message that the import was successful.
- Restart Prism. The issue should now be resolved.
What if this message appears in a version of Prism other than 9.4.1?
If you see the same root certificate alert displayed above while using a version of Prism other than 9.4.1, please review this FAQ for more details on how to proceed.