Which of the following statements is true about digital signatures?

Digital signatures play a crucial role in ensuring the integrity and authenticity of digital messages or documents. One of the primary functions of a digital signature is to provide non-repudiation. This means that once a message is signed by an individual using their private key, that individual cannot later deny having signed the message. This feature is vital in many legal and business transactions, where it’s important to verify that a specific person indeed authored the message or document.

In the context of digital signatures, non-repudiation relies on the use of asymmetric cryptography, where a private key is used to create the signature, and a corresponding public key is used to verify it. This strong linkage between the signer and the signature establishes a definitive trail that confirms the origin of the message, making it legally binding in many cases.

While digital signatures do support message integrity and authentication, they do not guarantee confidentiality, which is provided through encryption methods. Additionally, forgeries are possible without proper security practices, including the use of certificates to validate identities. Lastly, digital signatures are often coupled with hash functions to ensure the message integrity, making the statement about sending them without a hash algorithm incorrect as well.