What is the set of policies and procedures that enable the use of digital signatures known as?

The set of policies and procedures that enable the use of digital signatures is known as Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). PKI is crucial because it provides the necessary framework for secure communications and transactions in a digital environment. It consists of hardware, software, policies, and standards that work together to manage digital certificates and public-key encryption.

Digital signatures rely on two key components provided by PKI: a pair of cryptographic keys (a public key and a private key) and a certification authority that issues digital certificates to verify identities. This ensures that when a digital signature is applied, it is both authentic and non-repudiable, meaning the signer cannot deny having signed the document in question.

In summary, PKI underpins the secure validation of digital signatures, ensuring integrity and security in electronic communications and transactions. Other concepts, such as biometrics or source code, do not establish the framework required for managing digital signatures and secure encryption. Redundancy relates to data protection and availability rather than the establishment of secure digital signatures.