What is the purpose of two-way TLS in Salesforce?

Two-way TLS, also known as mutual TLS (Transport Layer Security), serves a critical role in establishing the identity of both the client and the server involved in a secure communication. In this context, Salesforce utilizes two-way TLS as a method to ensure that both parties in a transaction validate each other's authenticity before establishing a secure connection.

This authentication process involves the server presenting its certificate to the client to prove its identity, and simultaneously, the client must present its certificate to the server. This mutual validation builds trust and enhances security by preventing unauthorized access from potentially malicious clients or servers. The dual-layer of verification is crucial in scenarios where sensitive information is exchanged, helping to protect data integrity and privacy.

The other options address elements that are not the primary focus of two-way TLS. For instance, one-way certification applies only to the server's identity, which is insufficient for scenarios needing mutual verification. While data transfer speed and simplification of authentication processes are relevant topics in security protocols, they do not directly pertain to the core purpose of two-way TLS, which is fundamentally about ensuring the identity verification of both communicating entities.