Which description best defines the Web of Trust?

• A. A decentralized security model where participants can authenticate identities of other users.
• B. A centralized authority that validates all user identities.
• C. A protocol for securing email through TLS.
• D. A machine learning model for predicting user behavior.

Answer: (A)

The Web of Trust is a decentralized approach to verifying identities, where users sign or certify other users’ public keys. There is no single central authority deciding who is trusted; trust is built organically through a network of endorsements. Each individual can decide which signers to trust and to what extent, which means you can authenticate someone’s key based on the signatures you personally rely on. This contrasts with a centralized PKI model that relies on a single authority to validate identities. It also isn’t about securing email transport itself (that’s what TLS does) or about predicting behavior with a machine learning model.