A load balancer is a device or software application that distributes incoming network traffic across multiple servers to ensure no single server becomes overwhelmed. This process helps enhance the performance and reliability of applications, websites, or services by balancing the load, preventing server overload, and reducing downtime. The load balancer can also improve security by detecting and mitigating malicious traffic, distributing security updates seamlessly, and maintaining continuous availability even during cyberattacks. By managing traffic efficiently, load balancers contribute to the overall stability and security of networked services.