Which information must be present in a digital certificate when connecting securely to a website?

A digital certificate is an essential component of secure communications over the internet, particularly in the context of SSL/TLS protocols. It serves to establish the identity of a website and to facilitate the secure exchange of information between the website and the user's browser.

The presence of the website's domain name in a digital certificate is crucial because it ensures that users are connecting to the correct entity. The domain name serves as a unique identifier, allowing users to verify the legitimacy of the site they are visiting. When a browser connects to a secured website, it checks the digital certificate against the domain name to confirm that it matches. If a discrepancy exists, such as an attempt to connect to a website with a certificate issued to a different domain, the browser will alert the user to the potential security risk.

While other pieces of information, like the website's IP address, hosting provider, or total traffic, may be beneficial in certain contexts, they are not essential to the purpose of a digital certificate. The focus is specifically on the website's identification through its domain name to establish trust and security during the connection process.