Final answer:
The protocol that succeeds SSL in securing online transmissions of sensitive data is TLS (Transport Layer Security). TLS encrypts data providing privacy and protecting against eavesdropping and tampering. HTTPS in a URL signifies that TLS is being used for secure communication.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sensitive data, such as credit card information, should indeed be secured with appropriate measures when transmitted over the Internet. The protocol that is the successor to SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) in accomplishing this is TLS (Transport Layer Security). TLS is an updated, more secure version of SSL and is widely used for encrypting communications over networks.TLS provides privacy and data integrity between two communicating applications like a web browser and a web server. It uses encryption to prevent eavesdropping, tampering or message forgery. When you see HTTPS in a URL (as opposed to HTTP) it indicates the website is using TLS for secure communication.
To illustrate, when you enter your credit card information on a shopping website TLS ensures that this sensitive data is encrypted during transit, rendering it unreadable to anyone who might intercept the data. This way only the intended recipient, such as the payment processor, can decrypt and use your information.