DNSSEC, or Domain Name System Security Extensions, is a suite of extensions to the DNS protocol that adds an extra layer of security. It helps protect against certain types of attacks, such as cache poisoning, by ensuring that the responses to DNS queries are authentic and have not been tampered with. This is achieved through the use of digital signatures. When a user tries to access a website, DNSSEC verifies the integrity of the DNS data before allowing the connection. If the data is valid, the user can trust that they are reaching the correct site. This enhances overall internet security and user confidence.