What is the purpose of a digital certificate?

A digital certificate serves the primary function of verifying identities and securing communications. It acts as an electronic passport that validates the identity of individuals, organizations, or devices involved in digital interactions. When a digital certificate is issued, it binds the identity of its owner to a public key, which is part of a key pair used in asymmetric encryption. This connection helps establish trust in communications, ensuring that the parties involved are who they claim to be.

When a user attempts to establish a secure connection (like with SSL/TLS for websites), the digital certificate provides the necessary proof of identity to the other party. This reduces the risk of man-in-the-middle attacks and other forms of impersonation. The presence of a valid digital certificate helps users confidently engage in online transactions or exchanges of sensitive information, knowing that the connection is secure and the entities involved have been authenticated.

The other options address different aspects of cybersecurity and technology but do not capture the fundamental purpose of a digital certificate, which centers around identity verification and communication security. Encrypting email messages is a function that can utilize digital certificates, protecting the content of emails, but it is not the primary purpose of the certificate itself. Protecting against viruses falls under different protective measures such as antivirus software. Improving network performance is