What certificate can a developer use to show that a browser plugin is trusted and has undergone an identity check by a certificate authority (CA)?

A developer can use a code signing certificate to indicate that a browser plugin is trusted and has undergone an identity check by a certificate authority (CA). Code signing certificates are specifically designed for this purpose; they allow developers to digitally sign their software, which assures users that the plugin has not been altered in transit after it was signed by the developer.

When users see a code-signed plugin, they can be confident that it originated from a verified source, and they can trust that it has not been tampered with since it was published. This trust is critical in the context of software and browser plugin distribution, as it helps prevent malicious software and ensures the integrity and authenticity of the application.

In contrast, SSH keys are primarily used for secure shell connections and do not serve the purpose of verifying the trustworthiness of software. Digital signatures, while related to verifying the integrity and authenticity of data, do not inherently represent a check by a CA in the context of browser plugins. Network access control (NAC) authentication pertains to controlling access to a network and does not directly relate to the trustworthiness of individual software components like browser plugins.