What is the purpose of an SSL certificate?

An SSL certificate serves as a crucial tool for ensuring secure communication over the internet. Its primary purpose is to authenticate a website's identity, assuring users that they are connecting to the legitimate site they intend to visit. This authentication helps prevent malicious activities, such as phishing attacks, where attackers impersonate a website to steal sensitive information.

Moreover, an SSL certificate enables encryption of data exchanged between the website and its users. This encryption protects sensitive information, like credit card numbers and personal details, from being intercepted by unauthorized parties during transmission. By using HTTPS, which indicates that a site is secured with an SSL certificate, users can feel safer while browsing and sharing information.

This security not only builds trust with users but is also increasingly important for compliance with data protection regulations. Hence, the correct answer highlights the dual role of SSL certificates: authenticating identity and securing data transmission. Other choices do not address these core functionalities and are not relevant to the primary purpose of SSL certificates.