Which security concept involves digitally signing executables and scripts to confirm the software author and guarantee code has not been altered?

• A. Encrypting Data At Rest To Protect Confidentiality.
• B. Signing User Credentials To Allow Access.
• C. Providing A Digital Certificate For Website Authentication.
• D. Digitally Signing Executables And Scripts To Confirm The Software Author And Guarantee Code Has Not Been Altered.

Answer: (D)

Code signing is the process of digitally signing executables and scripts to verify who authored the software and to guarantee that the code has not been altered since it was signed. The developer signs the code with a private key tied to a code-signing certificate from a trusted authority. The signature can be checked with the corresponding public key; if the file has been modified after signing, the verification will fail, indicating tampering and breaking the trust chain. This provides both authenticity (the publisher is known) and integrity (the code hasn’t changed since signing), helping users and systems decide whether to trust and run the software.

Other options relate to different security goals: encrypting data at rest protects confidentiality, signing user credentials relates to access control, and a digital certificate for website authentication is about proving a site’s identity in a network context. None of these ensure the software’s authorship and integrity the way code signing does.