What is HTTP and HTTPS

In this article, we will learn What is HTTP and HTTPS. Whenever you browse the web, if you look at the address bar of your browser, you will find every URL starts with either http:// or https://. If we talk about what is HTTP and HTTPS, well both are Protocols, which used to exchange data between the Web Server and your Web Browser.

Let’s learn in detail, what is HTTP and HTTPS individually.

What is HTTP?

What does HTTP stand for? HTTP stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol. HTTP is an Application Layer protocol. Because of its simplicity, HTTP most widely used protocol for Data Transfer. Using HTTP Protocol data can be exchanged between different communication systems. When you type any website name i.e. http://ofbit.in, you are making an HTTP request on the browser to the Web Server that contains the website you requested. Then the Web Server sends back the requested data to you in your web browser in the form of a Web Page.

By default, HTTP uses port 80 to communicate. HTTP is an Unsecure protocol, although it is a widely used protocol for Data Transfer. HTTP is used to exchange data across the internet in the form of plain text. It is easy to monitor, read, and intercepts data communication between Server and Client. If you are just browsing and hopping websites, it is fine. But it will be vulnerable if you share or submit any sensitive data over the HTTP connection. For example, if you share a Credit card, CVV number, or create or log in using any ID and Password, all this can be easily visible to threat actors.

What is HTTPS?

What does HTTPS stand for? HTTPS stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure. Also referred to as an HTTP over SSL or HTTP over TLS. It is a secure version of HTTP. HTTPS is a Transport Layer protocol.

HTTPS is mostly used in websites, where sensitive data needs to be shared i.e. Online Banking, Credit card, CVV number, or create or log in using any ID and Password. HTTPS encrypts the data communication using SSL or TLS, hence instead of Plain Text, threat actors will find data as Ciphertext.

By default, HTTPS uses port 443 to Communicate. HTTP uses encryption called Transport Layer Security (TLS), successor protocol to Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). TLS uses a public-key encryption mechanism, for this Public Key Infrastructure is used, where Public key is used by the Web browser and Privet key used by the Website or the Web server.

So far we have learned, What is HTTP and HTTPS? Before we conclude let’s look at the What is the Difference between HTTP and HTTPS in table format.

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