1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more computer-readable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to: identify an executable file; identify a digitally signed reputation certificate associated with the executable file; identify, within the digitally signed reputation certificate, reputation information associated with the executable file, the reputation information including a reputation score that identifies a reputation of the executable file within a community of users, the community of users comprising a user base of a security-software publisher; upon identifying the digitally signed reputation certificate associated with the executable file: identify at least one policy that includes criteria for determining whether the digitally signed reputation certificate will supersede a reputation-database check, the criteria including at least one of criteria for determining whether the digitally signed reputation certificate was created within a specific period of time and criteria for determining whether an online connection is available; determine, by applying the criteria, that the digitally signed reputation certificate will supersede the reputation-database check; and validate the digitally signed reputation certificate using at least one public key; evaluate the trustworthiness of the executable file based at least in part on the reputation information contained within the digitally signed reputation certificate rather than performing the reputation-database check; and allow the computing device to execute the executable file based on a determination that the reputation score within the digitally signed reputation certificate satisfies a specified threshold.
1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more computer-readable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to: identify an executable file; identify a digitally signed reputation certificate associated with the executable file; identify, within the digitally signed reputation certificate, reputation information associated with the executable file, the reputation information including a reputation score that identifies a reputation of the executable file within a community of users, the community of users comprising a user base of a security-software publisher; upon identifying the digitally signed reputation certificate associated with the executable file: identify at least one policy that includes criteria for determining whether the digitally signed reputation certificate will supersede a reputation-database check, the criteria including at least one of criteria for determining whether the digitally signed reputation certificate was created within a specific period of time and criteria for determining whether an online connection is available; determine, by applying the criteria, that the digitally signed reputation certificate will supersede the reputation-database check; and validate the digitally signed reputation certificate using at least one public key; evaluate the trustworthiness of the executable file based at least in part on the reputation information contained within the digitally signed reputation certificate rather than performing the reputation-database check; and allow the computing device to execute the executable file based on a determination that the reputation score within the digitally signed reputation certificate satisfies a specified threshold. 5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the criteria include criteria for determining whether the online connection is available.