What is the purpose of a general purpose certificate?

The purpose of a general-purpose certificate is to prove ownership of a particular domain through methods such as email confirmation or by placing a text record in the domain's DNS settings. This process is crucial because it verifies that the entity requesting the certificate has administrative control over the domain in question. By confirming ownership, the certificate authority helps ensure that the certificate is issued to the right entity, thereby establishing trust when users visit websites secured by that certificate.

Domain verification is a key step in the certificate issuance process, reinforcing the need for entities to demonstrate control over their domains. This prevents unauthorized individuals or entities from fraudulently obtaining certificates for domains they do not own, enhancing overall security.