Introduction
The Internet has come a long way since its inception, evolving from simple pages made up of plain text to interactive and dynamic web applications. However, the internet has its fair share of security threats, which is why HTTPS was introduced to tackle these threats. In this blog post, we will be looking into the differences between HTTP and HTTPS, and what makes HTTPS more secure.
HTTP
HTTP stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol, and it is the foundation upon which the world wide web is built. It is a protocol used for conveying information on the internet, and it does not have any built-in security measures. HTTP works by transmitting data between the server and the web browser in plain text, which makes it vulnerable to security threats such as eavesdropping, Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks, and identity theft.
HTTPS
HTTPS, on the other hand, stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, and it is a secure version of HTTP. HTTPS works by encrypting the data transmitted between the web browser and the server, ensuring that the data exchanged remains private and confidential. HTTPS makes use of Transport Layer Security (TLS) or Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocols to encrypt communication between the browser and the server.
What Makes HTTPS More Secure?
The use of encryption in HTTPS is what makes it more secure than HTTP. When users visit a website that uses HTTPS, their connection is encrypted from end-to-end. This means that any data transmitted between the user's browser and the server is unreadable to anyone who tries to intercept it. It also ensures that the communication between the user's browser and the server is not tampered with by any third party.
In addition to encryption, HTTPS also provides authentication, ensuring that users are connected to the intended website and not an imposter. HTTPS also provides integrity, which means that the information transmitted between the user's browser and the server remains unchanged throughout the transmission.
HTTP vs. HTTPS
Here's a comparison between HTTP and HTTPS:
| HTTP | HTTPS | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Unsecured | Secured |
| 2. | Data transmitted in plain text | Encrypted data transmitted |
| 3. | Vulnerable to security threats | Resistant to attacks |
| 4. | Unauthenticated | Authenticated |
| 5. | No identity verification | Identity verification |
As seen in the table, HTTPS provides more security than HTTP, ensuring that the user's data remains safe and secure.
Conclusion
In conclusion, HTTPS is the more secure version of HTTP due to its use of encryption, authentication, and integrity protocols. HTTPS ensures that user data remains safe and secure, making it the preferred choice for websites that handle sensitive information such as e-commerce sites and online banking platforms. It is essential to prioritize your online security and always lookout for the presence of the "lock" icon or "https" prefix in your URL bar when browsing.