I’m sure you do everything you can to surf the web safely. But what does that mean? Today we’re going to talk about what HTTPS is, what it’s for and how it makes your site more secure.
If you’ve seen that little green padlock next to the URL in your browser, it’s because it has HTTPS. In this article, you’ll learn more about this feature and how to use it to your advantage.
What is HTTPS?
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) is a protocol that protects communication and data transfer between a user’s browser and a website.
Its encryption protocol is called Transport Layer Security (TLS), formerly known as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).
It protects communications using what is known as asymmetric public key infrastructure. HTTPS is the secure version of HTTP.
The protocol protects users from eavesdroppers and man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks, in which an attacker tries to intercept communication. It also protects legitimate domains from domain name system (DNS) spoofing attacks.
HTTPS plays a significant role in the security of websites that handle or transfer sensitive data, including data handled by online banking services, email providers, online retailers, healthcare providers and many more.
In short, any site that requires login credentials or involves financial transactions must use HTTPS to ensure the security of users, transactions and data.
Differences between HTTP and HTTPS
Someone malicious can easily impersonate, modify or monitor an HTTP connection. However, the HTTPS connection provides protection against these vulnerabilities by encrypting all exchanges between a browser and a web server.
As a result, HTTPS ensures that no one can interfere with these transactions, thus protecting users’ privacy and preventing confidential information from falling into the wrong hands.
Although there are differences, HTTPS is not a separate protocol from HTTP. It is an encrypted variation. When a server and a web browser communicate over HTTPS, they perform what is known as a handshake – an exchange of TLS/SSL certificates – to verify the identity of the provider and protect the user and their data.
An HTTPS URL starts with https:// instead of http://. Most browsers show that a site is secure by displaying a closed padlock symbol to the left of the URL in the browser’s address bar.
In some browsers, users can click on the padlock icon to check whether the digital certificate of an HTTPS-enabled site includes identifying information about the site owner, such as name or company name.
How is HTTPS superior to HTTP?
In HTTP, information shared on a website can be intercepted or detected by any malicious agent snooping on the network.
This is especially risky if a user accesses the site via an unsecured network, such as a public Wi-Fi network. As all HTTP communications take place in plain text, they are highly vulnerable to MitM attacks along the way.
On the other hand, HTTPS ensures that all communications between the user’s browser and a website are completely encrypted. This way, even if cybercriminals intercept the traffic, what they receive looks like distorted data.
This data can only be converted into a readable format with the corresponding decryption tool – i.e. the private key.
HTTPS encryption
HTTPS is based on the TLS encryption protocol, which protects communications between two parties. TLS uses asymmetric public key infrastructure for encryption.
This means that it uses two different keys.
Let’s imagine you’re sending a secret message to a friend. To ensure that no one else can read the message, you decide to use a special code. This code has two parts: a “public key” and a “private key”.
- The public key. This is available to users who want to interact securely with the server via their web browser. Information encrypted by the public key can only be decrypted by the private key. In other words, the public key is like an open padlock that anyone can use to lock (encrypt) a message.
- The private key. This is controlled and maintained by the website owner and resides on the web server. It decrypts information encrypted by the public key. This means that the private key, on the other hand, is like the key that opens the padlock. Only you have this key and it is kept secret.
How does HTTPS work?
Before a data transfer begins over HTTPS, the browser and server decide on the connection parameters by performing an SSL/TLS handshake. The handshake is also important for establishing a secure connection.
Here’s how the whole process works:
- The client browser and the web server exchange “hello” messages.
- Both parties communicate their encryption standards with each other.
- The server shares its certificate with the browser.
- The client checks the validity of the certificate.
- The client uses the public key to generate a pre-master secret key.
- This secret key is encrypted using the public key and shared with the server.
- The client and server calculate the symmetric key based on the value of the secret key.
- Both sides confirm that they have calculated the secret key.
- Data transmission uses symmetric encryption.
Why use HTTPS?
Data and user protection
The HTTPS protocol prevents eavesdropping between browsers and web servers and establishes secure communications.
This protects the user’s privacy and safeguards confidential information from hackers. This is essential for transactions involving personal or financial data.
Improved user experience
When customers know that a website is authentic and protects their data, it inspires trust. In addition, HTTPS increases data transfer speed by reducing data size.
Search engine optimization (SEO)
HTTPS sites generally have a higher ranking on search engine results pages.
This is a significant advantage for organizations looking to increase their digital presence through SEO.
Common mistakes to avoid when adapting the HTTPS connection
Although HTTPS can improve site security, implementing it incorrectly can negatively affect site security and usability. Common errors include the following problems.
| Problem | Solution |
| Expired certificates | Always make sure that your site’s certificate is up to date. |
| Certificate missing for all hostnames | Obtain a certificate for all the hostnames the site serves to avoid certificate name mismatch errors. |
| Support for server name indication (SNI) | Make sure that the web server and the public use browsers with SNI support. |
| Crawling and indexing problems | Make sure that the HTTPS site is not blocked for crawling using robots.txt. Also, enable proper indexing of all pages by search engines. |
| Content | Make sure the content matches on the HTTP and HTTPS pages. |
Conclusion
So, did you understand a little more about HTTPS and its importance? Let’s recap!
HTTPS is essential for ensuring secure communication between your browser and the websites you access. In this way, it protects your personal and financial information from snoopers and hackers.
This technology not only offers an extra layer of security, but also improves the user experience and the site’s performance, as well as helping it rank in search engines such as Google.
So, if you have a website or work in web development, be sure to implement HTTPS to ensure safe and reliable browsing for your users.
Keep an eye on your security certificates, keep everything up to date and you’ll be one step ahead in digital protection. Until next time and always be safe! See you in the next article 😉
