How does version control enhance security in software development?

Version control significantly enhances security in software development by tracking changes made to the codebase, which is critical for several reasons. By maintaining a history of changes, it allows developers and security professionals to conduct audits effectively. This audit trail makes it easy to review who made specific changes, what those changes were, and when they occurred, facilitating the identification of potential security issues and their origins.

Additionally, the ability to perform secure rollbacks is another vital aspect of version control. If a recent change introduces vulnerabilities or breaks existing functionality, development teams can revert to previous, stable versions of the codebase swiftly and securely. This ensures that the software can continue to operate while issues are addressed, minimizing downtime and the impact of vulnerabilities.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately reflect the security benefits of version control. Saving only a single version disregards the core functionality of version control systems, which is to maintain multiple versions. The notion that version control automatically fixes all vulnerabilities is misleading, as it does not inherently address vulnerabilities; instead, it provides a framework for managing changes effectively. Lastly, preventing any changes to the code contradicts the primary purpose of version control, which is to facilitate, track, and manage changes rather than restrict them completely.