Apple Certified Support Professional (ACSP) Practice Exam

Code Signing in macOS ensures the security and integrity of applications by providing a way to verify that the software has not been altered since it was signed by its developer. When an application is code signed, it gets a signature that is cryptographically linked to the developer’s identity. This signature acts as a form of identification, allowing the operating system to check that the application is legitimate and has not been tampered with during installation or execution.

If the code signature is valid, it confirms that the application originates from a trusted developer and that it can be safely executed, with no risk of malicious modifications. This process is crucial for maintaining the overall security environment on macOS, preventing malware and unauthorized alterations.

The other options, while related to software development and usage, do not pertain to the primary function of code signing:

- Application compatibility with older versions relates to how software interacts with different operating system versions, which is not what code signing addresses.

- A user-friendly interface pertains to the design and usability of applications, which is unrelated to their security and integrity.

- Faster application loading times refer to performance metrics rather than the security assurances provided by code signing.