diff --git a/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/BLETypes.h b/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/BLETypes.h
index 8095345657..871e6bea35 100644
--- a/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/BLETypes.h
+++ b/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/BLETypes.h
@@ -379,6 +379,9 @@ typedef byte_array_t<32> public_key_coord_t;
 /** Diffie-Hellman key */
 typedef byte_array_t<32> dhkey_t;
 
+/* counter for signed data writes done by GattClient */
+typedef uint32_t sign_count_t;
+
 /**
  * MAC address data type.
  */
diff --git a/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/generic/GenericSecurityManager.h b/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/generic/GenericSecurityManager.h
index 315627afdc..4f26909645 100644
--- a/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/generic/GenericSecurityManager.h
+++ b/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/generic/GenericSecurityManager.h
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ public:
         _oob_local_random[0] = 1;
     }
 
-    uint32_t get_next_sign_counter() {
+    sign_count_t get_next_sign_counter() {
         return _local_sign_counter++;
     }
 
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ private:
     void return_csrk_cb(
         pal::SecurityDb::entry_handle_t connection,
         const csrk_t *csrk,
-        uint32_t sign_counter
+        sign_count_t sign_counter
     );
 
     /**
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ private:
     void set_peer_csrk_cb(
         pal::SecurityDb::entry_handle_t connection,
         const csrk_t *csrk,
-        uint32_t sign_counter
+        sign_count_t sign_counter
     );
 
     /**
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ private:
     address_t _oob_temporary_key_creator_address; /**< device which generated and sent the TK */
     oob_tk_t _oob_temporary_key; /**< used for legacy pairing */
 
-    uint32_t _local_sign_counter;
+    sign_count_t _local_sign_counter;
 
     pal::AuthenticationMask _default_authentication;
     pal::KeyDistribution _default_key_distribution;
diff --git a/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/pal/MemorySecurityDB.h b/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/pal/MemorySecurityDB.h
index 80d68353cb..eb28867734 100644
--- a/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/pal/MemorySecurityDB.h
+++ b/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/pal/MemorySecurityDB.h
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ private:
         SecurityEntryKeys_t local_keys;
         SecurityEntryIdentity_t peer_identity;
         csrk_t csrk;
-        uint32_t sign_counter;
+        sign_count_t sign_counter;
         state_t state;
     };
     static const size_t MAX_ENTRIES = 5;
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ public:
         entry_handle_t entry_handle
     ) {
         csrk_t csrk;
-        uint32_t sign_counter = 0;
+        sign_count_t sign_counter = 0;
         entry_t *entry = as_entry(entry_handle);
         if (entry) {
             csrk = entry->csrk;
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ public:
 
     virtual void set_entry_peer_sign_counter(
         entry_handle_t entry_handle,
-        uint32_t sign_counter
+        sign_count_t sign_counter
     ) {
         entry_t *entry = as_entry(entry_handle);
         if (entry) {
@@ -254,12 +254,12 @@ public:
         _local_csrk = csrk;
     }
 
-    virtual uint32_t get_local_sign_counter() {
+    virtual sign_count_t get_local_sign_counter() {
         return _local_sign_counter;
     }
 
     virtual void set_local_sign_counter(
-        uint32_t sign_counter
+        sign_count_t sign_counter
     ) {
         _local_sign_counter = sign_counter;
     }
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ private:
     entry_t _entries[MAX_ENTRIES];
     SecurityEntryIdentity_t _local_identity;
     csrk_t _local_csrk;
-    uint32_t _local_sign_counter;
+    sign_count_t _local_sign_counter;
 };
 
 } /* namespace pal */
diff --git a/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/pal/PalSecurityManager.h b/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/pal/PalSecurityManager.h
index fe942a0aa8..4f100a0588 100644
--- a/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/pal/PalSecurityManager.h
+++ b/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/pal/PalSecurityManager.h
@@ -864,7 +864,7 @@ public:
      */
     virtual ble_error_t set_csrk(
         const csrk_t &csrk,
-        uint32_t sign_counter
+        sign_count_t sign_counter
     ) = 0;
 
     /**
@@ -880,7 +880,7 @@ public:
         connection_handle_t connection,
         const csrk_t &csrk,
         bool authenticated,
-        uint32_t sign_counter
+        sign_count_t sign_counter
     ) = 0;
 
     ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/pal/SecurityDb.h b/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/pal/SecurityDb.h
index 5b7c656eef..62f67fb95b 100644
--- a/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/pal/SecurityDb.h
+++ b/features/FEATURE_BLE/ble/pal/SecurityDb.h
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ public:
      */
     virtual void set_entry_peer_sign_counter(
         entry_handle_t db_entry,
-        uint32_t sign_counter
+        sign_count_t sign_counter
     ) = 0;
 
     /* local csrk */
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ public:
      *
      * @return signing counter
      */
-    virtual uint32_t get_local_sign_counter() = 0;
+    virtual sign_count_t get_local_sign_counter() = 0;
 
     /**
      * Update local signing key.
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ public:
      * @param[in] sign_counter new signing counter value
      */
     virtual void set_local_sign_counter(
-        uint32_t sign_counter
+        sign_count_t sign_counter
     ) = 0;
 
     /* list management */
diff --git a/features/FEATURE_BLE/source/generic/GenericSecurityManager.cpp b/features/FEATURE_BLE/source/generic/GenericSecurityManager.cpp
index dd37331504..118ce77868 100644
--- a/features/FEATURE_BLE/source/generic/GenericSecurityManager.cpp
+++ b/features/FEATURE_BLE/source/generic/GenericSecurityManager.cpp
@@ -641,7 +641,7 @@ ble_error_t GenericSecurityManager::oobReceived(
 
 ble_error_t GenericSecurityManager::init_signing() {
     const csrk_t *pcsrk = _db.get_local_csrk();
-    uint32_t local_sign_counter = _db.get_local_sign_counter();
+    sign_count_t local_sign_counter = _db.get_local_sign_counter();
 
     if (!pcsrk) {
         csrk_t csrk;
@@ -741,7 +741,7 @@ void GenericSecurityManager::set_ltk_cb(
 void GenericSecurityManager::set_peer_csrk_cb(
     pal::SecurityDb::entry_handle_t db_entry,
     const csrk_t *csrk,
-    uint32_t sign_counter
+    sign_count_t sign_counter
 ) {
     ControlBlock_t *cb = get_control_block(db_entry);
     if (!cb) {
@@ -759,7 +759,7 @@ void GenericSecurityManager::set_peer_csrk_cb(
 void GenericSecurityManager::return_csrk_cb(
     pal::SecurityDb::entry_handle_t db_entry,
     const csrk_t *csrk,
-    uint32_t sign_counter
+    sign_count_t sign_counter
 ) {
     ControlBlock_t *cb = get_control_block(db_entry);
     if (!cb) {
@@ -953,7 +953,7 @@ void GenericSecurityManager::on_valid_mic_timeout(connection_handle_t connection
 
 void GenericSecurityManager::on_signed_write_received(
     connection_handle_t connection,
-    uint32_t sign_counter
+    sign_count_t sign_counter
 ) {
     ControlBlock_t *cb = get_control_block(connection);
     if (!cb) {
diff --git a/features/FEATURE_BLE/targets/TARGET_CORDIO/CordioPalSecurityManager.h b/features/FEATURE_BLE/targets/TARGET_CORDIO/CordioPalSecurityManager.h
index c9bc5bc779..9a6cb9ffe1 100644
--- a/features/FEATURE_BLE/targets/TARGET_CORDIO/CordioPalSecurityManager.h
+++ b/features/FEATURE_BLE/targets/TARGET_CORDIO/CordioPalSecurityManager.h
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ public:
      */
     virtual ble_error_t set_csrk(
         const csrk_t &csrk,
-        uint32_t sign_counter
+        sign_count_t sign_counter
     );
 
     /**
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ public:
         connection_handle_t connection,
         const csrk_t &csrk,
         bool authenticated,
-        uint32_t sign_counter
+        sign_count_t sign_counter
     );
 
     ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ public:
 private:
     bool _use_default_passkey;
     passkey_num_t _default_passkey;
-    uint32_t _local_sign_counter;
+    sign_count_t _local_sign_counter;
     bool _lesc_keys_generated;
     uint8_t _public_key_x[SEC_ECC_KEY_LEN];
 };
diff --git a/features/FEATURE_BLE/targets/TARGET_CORDIO/source/CordioPalSecurityManager.cpp b/features/FEATURE_BLE/targets/TARGET_CORDIO/source/CordioPalSecurityManager.cpp
index 6bf678c5d5..eb2ac8da37 100644
--- a/features/FEATURE_BLE/targets/TARGET_CORDIO/source/CordioPalSecurityManager.cpp
+++ b/features/FEATURE_BLE/targets/TARGET_CORDIO/source/CordioPalSecurityManager.cpp
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ ble_error_t CordioSecurityManager::set_irk(const irk_t& irk)
 
 ble_error_t CordioSecurityManager::set_csrk(
     const csrk_t& csrk,
-    uint32_t sign_counter
+    sign_count_t sign_counter
 ) {
     _local_sign_counter = sign_counter;
     DmSecSetLocalCsrk(const_cast<uint8_t*>(csrk.data()));
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ ble_error_t CordioSecurityManager::set_peer_csrk(
     connection_handle_t connection,
     const csrk_t &csrk,
     bool authenticated,
-    uint32_t sign_counter
+    sign_count_t sign_counter
 ) {
     AttsSetCsrk(connection, const_cast<uint8_t*>(csrk.data()));
     AttsSetSignCounter(connection, sign_counter);