Final answer:
A digital signature is an electronic stamp that verifies a message's source and contents, using cryptographic techniques to ensure authenticity and integrity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term for an electronic stamp that identifies a message's source and contents is known as a digital signature. A digital signature ensures the authenticity and integrity of a message by verifying that the message comes from the specified sender and that it has not been altered in transit. Just like your individual email address identifies you uniquely across the globe, a digital signature provides a unique set of identifiers that can validate the source and contents of digital communications.
Digital signatures are critical in business and government operations for securing transactions and communications. They rely on cryptographic techniques to provide these assurances, and they are legally binding in many jurisdictions, much like a physical signature. The use of digital signatures is widespread, and they are an integral security feature in various applications, such as emails, software distribution, financial transactions, and document signing.