Transport Layer Security
Transport Layer Security (TLS) is a cryptographic protocol that provides secure communication over a computer network, primarily the internet. It ensures privacy and data integrity between two communicating applications by encrypting data in transit, preventing eavesdropping, tampering, and message forgery. TLS is the successor to the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol and is widely used in applications such as web browsing, email, instant messaging, and voice-over-IP.
Developers should learn and use TLS whenever they need to protect sensitive data transmitted over networks, such as passwords, financial information, or personal details, to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks and ensure compliance with security standards like GDPR or HIPAA. It is essential for securing web applications (via HTTPS), APIs, and any client-server communication where confidentiality and integrity are critical, such as in e-commerce, banking, or healthcare systems.