What is the purpose of an SSL certificate?

An SSL certificate serves a critical role in establishing trust and security in online communication. Its primary purpose is to authenticate a website's identity, ensuring that users are connecting to the legitimate site they intend to visit, rather than an imposter. This authentication process helps to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks or phishing attempts where malicious actors might try to deceive users into entering sensitive information.

Additionally, an SSL certificate enables an encrypted connection between the user's browser and the web server. This encryption protects the data being transmitted, such as personal information, payment details, or login credentials, making it much more difficult for unauthorized parties to intercept or eavesdrop on the communication. This dual function of identity verification and data encryption is essential for maintaining user confidence and safeguarding data in a digital environment, particularly for e-commerce and any sites that handle sensitive information.

In contrast, the other choices do not accurately capture the essence of what an SSL certificate is designed to do. They pertain to different aspects of web management but do not address the crucial security and authentication features that an SSL certificate provides.