Which protocol is specifically used to protect data over the internet in transit?

The choice of TLS as the protocol specifically designed to protect data over the internet in transit is accurate. TLS, or Transport Layer Security, provides encryption, authentication, and integrity for communications over a network, ensuring that data sent between clients and servers remains confidential and secure from eavesdropping or tampering.

While HTTP is a protocol used for transferring hypertext over the internet, it does not include any security features by default. This makes it vulnerable to various types of attacks, such as man-in-the-middle attacks. FTP is another protocol for transferring files, but like HTTP, it lacks built-in security measures for protecting the data during transmission. TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is fundamental for data transmission across networks but does not provide encryption or security features on its own.

TLS adds a crucial layer of security by encrypting the data, ensuring that only the intended recipients can read it. This makes TLS the appropriate choice for protecting internet communications, as it secures the data in transit effectively.