What does a digital certificate verify?

A digital certificate is primarily designed to verify the identity of an organization or individual. It serves as an electronic "passport" that establishes the credentials of the entity it represents. Digital certificates are issued by trusted Certificate Authorities (CAs) and contain information about the entity, including its public key and other identifying details, tied to a specific identity. When a digital certificate is presented, it allows users and systems to confirm that the entity is who it claims to be, thereby establishing trust in communications and transactions over the internet.

This verification is crucial in various security protocols, such as SSL/TLS, where the identity of the server is verified before secure connections are established. By ensuring that the entity's public key is validated against its certificate, users can prevent man-in-the-middle attacks and establish secure communications.

The other choices, while relevant in different contexts, do not capture the primary function of digital certificates in verifying identity. Hardware components and network device location are verified through other means, and while data integrity is important, it is ensured through techniques like hashing and checksums rather than through a digital certificate itself.