What is the primary function of SSL?

The primary function of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is to encrypt data sent over the internet. SSL creates a secure and encrypted connection between a web server and a web browser, ensuring that all data passed between them remains private and integral. This encryption not only protects sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, and personal details from being intercepted by malicious actors but also helps to establish trust between the user and the website.

While data compression, user authentication, and packet routing are important components of internet technology and networking, they do not directly relate to the core purpose of SSL. Data compression, for example, optimizes the size of data for transmission but does not inherently provide security. Similarly, user authentication and efficient data routing serve different roles in the web's functioning and do not encapsulate the essence of what SSL is designed to do, which is to secure data transmissions through encryption.