What is the primary purpose of SSL?

The primary purpose of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), which has been superseded by TLS (Transport Layer Security), is to provide secure communication over a computer network. SSL/TLS encrypts the data transmitted between a web server and a web browser, ensuring that it remains private and integral. This encryption prevents eavesdropping and tampering by malicious actors, thus enhancing the security of online transactions, sensitive information exchange, and communications conducted over the internet.