SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and TLS (Transport Layer Security) are protocols for establishing authenticated and encrypted links between networked computers. These protocols ensure that data transmitted over the internet is secure and protected from eavesdropping, tampering, and forgery. SSL/TLS is widely used to secure web communications, including HTTP requests, making them HTTPS. For web scrapers, handling SSL/TLS is essential to access secure websites and APIs. This involves ensuring that requests are made over HTTPS, validating certificates, and managing encryption keys. Proper implementation of SSL/TLS enhances the security and privacy of data during web scraping operations.