What is the purpose of DHCP Snooping in network security?

The purpose of DHCP Snooping in network security is primarily to prevent unauthorized DHCP servers from distributing IP addresses on the network, which aligns with the stated correct answer. By enabling DHCP Snooping, switches can differentiate between trusted and untrusted DHCP messages. With this functionality, only DHCP responses from trusted devices (like legitimate DHCP servers) are allowed, while any responses from untrusted sources are dropped.

This security measure helps protect the network from various attacks, such as DHCP spoofing, where an attacker sets up a rogue DHCP server to hand out IP addresses and potentially redirect traffic to malicious servers. DHCP Snooping effectively creates a safeguard that enhances the overall integrity and reliability of the IP address allocation process within the network.

In contrast, other options pertain to different aspects of network management or security. For example, enhancing bandwidth availability or allocating static IP addresses do not directly relate to the functions of DHCP Snooping. Encryption of DHCP messages is also outside the scope of what DHCP Snooping accomplishes, as it focuses more on verifying the authenticity of DHCP servers rather than securing the content of DHCP communications.