What does CORS stand for, and why is it significant?

CORS stands for Cross-Origin Resource Sharing, which is a security feature that allows web applications running at one origin (domain) to make requests for resources from a different origin. This is significant because, by default, web browsers implement a same-origin policy that restricts how documents or scripts from one origin can interact with resources from another origin.

CORS enables developers to specify which origins are permitted to access resources on a server, thus improving the security of web applications by controlling cross-origin requests. It allows for flexible resource sharing across different domains while maintaining a level of security, preventing potentially malicious requests from untrusted sources. This capability is crucial for functionalities like accessing APIs, embedding resources, and integrating services across different web applications, supporting the modern web’s increasingly interconnected nature.

Other options do not accurately describe CORS or its function within web development, thus they don't capture the correct context related to cross-origin interactions or security implications in web applications.