HTTP vs HTTPS

Whenever you visit a website, your browser communicates with a web server. Two common protocols used for this communication are HTTP and HTTPS.

The important difference is that HTTPS adds encryption and authentication to the connection.

What Is HTTP?

HTTP stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol.

It defines how your browser and a web server communicate.

For example:

Browser → HTTP request → Web Server
Browser ← HTTP response ← Web Server

The problem is that ordinary HTTP does not provide encryption for the connection.

If sensitive information is sent over an unprotected HTTP connection, someone who can observe the network traffic may be able to read or modify it.

What Is HTTPS?

HTTPS stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure.

It uses TLS (Transport Layer Security) to protect communication between your browser and the website.

You will commonly see:

https://example.com

instead of:

http://example.com

What Does HTTPS Protect?

HTTPS provides three important security properties:

Encryption

It helps prevent people monitoring the connection from reading the contents of the communication.

Integrity

It helps detect if data has been modified while travelling between your browser and the server.

Authentication

TLS certificates help your browser verify that it is communicating with the intended website rather than an impostor.

Does HTTPS Mean a Website Is Safe?

No.

HTTPS protects the connection between you and the website, but it does not automatically mean the website itself is trustworthy.

A phishing website can also use HTTPS.

So don’t assume:

“It has HTTPS, therefore it must be legitimate.”

Always check the domain name and consider whether you trust the website.

Key Takeaways

• HTTP is a protocol used for web communication.
• HTTPS adds TLS protection to HTTP.
• HTTPS helps provide confidentiality, integrity, and authentication.
• HTTPS does not guarantee that a website itself is trustworthy.
• Always check the website’s domain, not just the padlock or HTTPS.

Try It Yourself

Open two websites in your browser and look at their addresses.

Check whether they use:

http://

or:

https://

Then click the browser’s site information icon and explore the connection and certificate information.