HTTP is a protocol for transmitting information on the internet, commonly used to access HTML pages. HTTPS is a secure version of HTTP that encrypts data exchanged between the client and server. HTTPS uses TLS or SSL encryption and requires a public key certificate for hosting. It is important to be cautious when using HTTPS to protect personal information.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (http) is a system for transmitting and receiving information on the Internet. HTTP serves as the request and response process that all agents on the Internet follow so that information can be disseminated quickly, easily, and accurately between servers, which contain the information, and clients, which are trying to access it. Http is commonly used to access html pages, but other resources can also be accessed via http. In many cases, clients can exchange sensitive information with a server, which must be secured to prevent unauthorized access. For this reason, https, or secure http, was developed by Netscape Corporation to enable authorization and secure transactions.
In many ways, https is identical to http, because it follows the same basic protocols. The http or https client, like a web browser, establishes a connection to a server on a standard port. When a server receives a request, it returns a status and message, which may contain the requested information or indicate an error if part of the process has malfunctioned. Both systems use the same URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) scheme, so that resources can be universally identified. Using https in a URI scheme instead of http indicates that you want an encrypted connection.
There are some key differences between http and https however, starting with the default port, which is 80 for http and 443 for https. Https works by transmitting normal http interactions through an encrypted system, so that, in theory, the information cannot be accessed by anyone other than the end client and server. There are two common types of encryption levels: Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), both of which encrypt the data records exchanged.
When using an https connection, the server responds to the initial connection by offering a list of supported encryption methods. In response, the client selects a connection method, and the client and server exchange certificates to authenticate their identities. Once done, both parties exchange the encrypted information after making sure that both are using the same key and that the connection is closed. To host https connections, a server must have a public key certificate, which embeds key information with a verification of the key owner’s identity. Most certificates are verified by a third party so clients are confident that the key is secure.
HTTP is used in many situations, such as login pages for banking services, forms, corporate logins, and other applications where data needs to be protected. However, if not implemented correctly, https is not foolproof, so it is extremely important that end users be wary of accepting questionable certificates and be careful with their personal information when using the Internet.
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