diff --git a/pkg/kstream/processors/image_windows.go b/pkg/kstream/processors/image_windows.go
index bb3c5d666..a8942e44c 100644
--- a/pkg/kstream/processors/image_windows.go
+++ b/pkg/kstream/processors/image_windows.go
@@ -81,33 +81,41 @@ func (imageProcessor) Close() {}
 
 // processSignature consults the signature cache and if the signature
 // already exists for a particular image checksum, signature checking
-// is skipped. On the contrary, the signature verification is performed
-// and the cache is updated accordingly.
+// is skipped and only certificate info is fetched. On the contrary,
+// the signature verification is performed and the cache is updated
+// accordingly.
 func (m *imageProcessor) processSignature(e *kevent.Kevent) error {
 	checksum := e.Kparams.MustGetUint32(kparams.ImageCheckSum)
 	level := e.Kparams.MustGetUint32(kparams.ImageSignatureLevel)
+	typ := e.Kparams.MustGetUint32(kparams.ImageSignatureType)
 	sign, ok := m.signatures[checksum]
 	if !ok {
-		var opts []signature.Option
 		var filename = e.GetParamAsString(kparams.FileName)
-		if level != signature.UncheckedLevel {
-			opts = append(opts, signature.OnlyCert())
-		}
-		var err error
-		sign, err = signature.CheckWithOpts(filename, opts...)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		if level == signature.UncheckedLevel && sign.IsSigned() {
-			sign.Verify()
+		if typ == signature.None {
+			var err error
+			sign, err = signature.Check(filename)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			if sign.IsSigned() {
+				sign.Verify()
+			}
+		} else {
+			// signature checked, only obtain certificate info
+			sign = signature.Wrap(typ, level)
+			var err error
+			sign.Cert, err = signature.GetCertificate(filename)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 		}
 		m.signatures[checksum] = sign
 	}
-	if level == signature.UncheckedLevel {
-		// reset signature type/level parameters
-		_ = e.Kparams.SetValue(kparams.ImageSignatureType, sign.Type)
-		_ = e.Kparams.SetValue(kparams.ImageSignatureLevel, sign.Level)
-	}
+
+	// reset signature type/level parameters
+	_ = e.Kparams.SetValue(kparams.ImageSignatureLevel, sign.Level)
+	_ = e.Kparams.SetValue(kparams.ImageSignatureType, sign.Type)
+
 	// append certificate parameters
 	if sign.HasCertificate() {
 		e.AppendParam(kparams.ImageCertIssuer, kparams.UnicodeString, sign.Cert.Issuer)
diff --git a/pkg/util/signature/signature.go b/pkg/util/signature/signature.go
index 4f25ba623..f411dbd47 100644
--- a/pkg/util/signature/signature.go
+++ b/pkg/util/signature/signature.go
@@ -28,66 +28,46 @@ import (
 var isWintrustDLLFound bool
 var once sync.Once
 
-type opts struct {
-	onlyCert bool
+// Wrap returns a new signature form signature type and level.
+func Wrap(typ, level uint32) *Signature {
+	return &Signature{Type: typ, Level: level}
 }
 
-// Option represents the option that influences signature verification/checking process
-type Option func(o *opts)
-
-// OnlyCert indicates if only certificate info is fetched for the signature. If this
-// option is set, it is assumed the signature was already checked.
-func OnlyCert() Option {
-	return func(o *opts) {
-		o.onlyCert = true
+// GetCertificate returns certificate details for the specific PE object.
+func GetCertificate(filename string) (*pe.Cert, error) {
+	onceWintrustDLL()
+	f, err := pe.ParseFile(filename, pe.WithSecurity())
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
+	if f.Cert != nil {
+		return f.Cert, nil
+	}
+	if !isWintrustDLLFound {
+		return nil, ErrWintrustUnavailable
+	}
+	// parse catalog certificate
+	catalog := NewCatalog()
+	if err := catalog.Open(filename); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	defer catalog.Close()
+	cert, err := catalog.ParseCertificate()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return cert, nil
 }
 
-// CheckWithOpts determines if the provided executable image or DLL is signed.
+// Check determines if the provided executable image or DLL is signed.
 // It first parses the PE security directory to look for the signature
 // information. If the certificate is not embedded inside the PE object
 // then this method will try to locate the hash in the catalog file.
 // If OnlyCert option is specified, then only certificate information is
 // fetched for the particular executable image, DLL, or driver. If the function
 // returns a nil value, this indicates the provided image is not signed.
-func CheckWithOpts(filename string, options ...Option) (*Signature, error) {
-	once.Do(func() {
-		isWintrustDLLFound = sys.IsWintrustFound()
-		if !isWintrustDLLFound {
-			log.Warn("unable to find wintrust.dll library. This will lead to " +
-				"PE objects signature verification to be skipped possibly " +
-				"causing false positive samples in detection rules relying on " +
-				"image signature filter fields")
-		}
-	})
-	var opts opts
-	for _, opt := range options {
-		opt(&opts)
-	}
-	// the signature is assumed to be verified, so we just extract cert info
-	if opts.onlyCert {
-		f, err := pe.ParseFile(filename, pe.WithSecurity())
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		if f.Cert != nil {
-			return &Signature{filename: filename, Cert: f.Cert}, nil
-		}
-		if !isWintrustDLLFound {
-			return nil, ErrWintrustUnavailable
-		}
-		// parse catalog certificate
-		catalog := NewCatalog()
-		if err := catalog.Open(filename); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		cert, err := catalog.ParseCertificate()
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		return &Signature{filename: filename, Cert: cert}, nil
-	}
-
+func Check(filename string) (*Signature, error) {
+	onceWintrustDLL()
 	// check if the signature is embedded in PE
 	f, err := pe.ParseFile(filename, pe.WithSecurity())
 	if err != nil {
@@ -106,6 +86,7 @@ func CheckWithOpts(filename string, options ...Option) (*Signature, error) {
 	if err := catalog.Open(filename); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	defer catalog.Close()
 	if catalog.IsCatalogSigned() {
 		cert, err := catalog.ParseCertificate()
 		if err != nil {
@@ -128,9 +109,22 @@ func (s *Signature) Verify() bool {
 		return false
 	}
 	s.Level = UnsignedLevel
-	if s.VerifyEmbedded() || s.VerifyCatalog() {
+	isTrusted := s.VerifyEmbedded() || s.VerifyCatalog()
+	if isTrusted {
 		s.Level = AuthenticodeLevel
-		return true
+		return isTrusted
 	}
 	return false
 }
+
+func onceWintrustDLL() {
+	once.Do(func() {
+		isWintrustDLLFound = sys.IsWintrustFound()
+		if !isWintrustDLLFound {
+			log.Warn("unable to find wintrust.dll library. This will lead to " +
+				"PE objects signature verification to be skipped possibly " +
+				"causing false positive samples in detection rules relying on " +
+				"image signature filter fields")
+		}
+	})
+}
diff --git a/pkg/util/signature/signature_test.go b/pkg/util/signature/signature_test.go
index 887f8a1dc..fb052bac8 100644
--- a/pkg/util/signature/signature_test.go
+++ b/pkg/util/signature/signature_test.go
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ func TestSignature(t *testing.T) {
 		sigType  uint32
 		sigLevel uint32
 		err      error
-		opts     []Option
 	}{
 		{
 			"PE embedded signature",
@@ -44,7 +43,6 @@ func TestSignature(t *testing.T) {
 			Embedded,
 			AuthenticodeLevel,
 			nil,
-			nil,
 		},
 		{
 			"catalog signature",
@@ -52,7 +50,6 @@ func TestSignature(t *testing.T) {
 			Catalog,
 			AuthenticodeLevel,
 			nil,
-			nil,
 		},
 		{
 			"unsigned binary",
@@ -60,21 +57,12 @@ func TestSignature(t *testing.T) {
 			None,
 			UnsignedLevel,
 			ErrNotSigned,
-			nil,
-		},
-		{
-			"PE only cert",
-			filepath.Join(os.Getenv("windir"), "System32", "kernel32.dll"),
-			None,
-			AuthenticodeLevel,
-			nil,
-			[]Option{OnlyCert()},
 		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			sig, err := CheckWithOpts(tt.filename, tt.opts...)
+			sig, err := Check(tt.filename)
 			assert.True(t, err == tt.err)
 			if sig != nil {
 				assert.Equal(t, tt.sigType, sig.Type)
diff --git a/pkg/util/signature/types.go b/pkg/util/signature/types.go
index 1b7afd522..15cd35a34 100644
--- a/pkg/util/signature/types.go
+++ b/pkg/util/signature/types.go
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ var Types = map[uint32]string{
 	4: "CATALOG_UNCACHED", // uncached catalog verified via Catalog Database or searching catalog directly
 	5: "CATALOG_HINT",     // successfully verified using an EA that informs CI that catalog to try first
 	6: "PACKAGE_CATALOG",  // AppX / MSIX package catalog verified
+	7: "FILE_VERIFIED",    // the file was verified
 }
 
 // Levels enum defines all possible image signature levels at which the code was verified.