Which certificate feature allows identification by multiple hostnames?

Which certificate feature allows identification by multiple hostnames?

• A. Common Name (CN)
• B. Subject Alternative Name (SAN)
• C. Wildcard domain
• D. Certificate Revocation List (CRL)

Answer: (B)

Subject Alternative Name is the feature that lets a certificate identify multiple hostnames. It provides a list of DNS names (and IP addresses) that the certificate is valid for, so during a TLS handshake the client can verify the server’s hostname against those listed names. This is why it’s the correct choice: it explicitly supports multiple hostnames within a single certificate, which is precisely what’s needed when a service is reachable under several domains or subdomains. The Common Name was used in the past, but modern clients rely on SAN for hostname verification and often ignore CN. A wildcard can cover subdomains under one domain, but SAN handles multiple distinct hostnames across potentially different domains as explicit entries. The Certificate Revocation List has no role in identifying hostnames.

Subject Alternative Name is the feature that lets a certificate identify multiple hostnames. It provides a list of DNS names (and IP addresses) that the certificate is valid for, so during a TLS handshake the client can verify the server’s hostname against those listed names. This is why it’s the correct choice: it explicitly supports multiple hostnames within a single certificate, which is precisely what’s needed when a service is reachable under several domains or subdomains. The Common Name was used in the past, but modern clients rely on SAN for hostname verification and often ignore CN. A wildcard can cover subdomains under one domain, but SAN handles multiple distinct hostnames across potentially different domains as explicit entries. The Certificate Revocation List has no role in identifying hostnames.