HTTPS :
HTTPS stands for “Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure”. It’s an extension of HTTP, which is the protocol used for transferring data between a web server and a web browser. The “S” in HTTPS stands for “Secure,” indicating that the communication between the web server and the browser is encrypted and secure.
HTTPS provides several key benefits :
- Data Encryption: HTTPS encrypts the data transferred between the web server and the browser, making it difficult for third parties to intercept and decipher sensitive information, such as login credentials, personal details, and financial transactions.
- Authentication: HTTPS ensures that the website visitors are communicating with the legitimate server and not an imposter. It verifies the identity of the website through digital certificates issued by trusted Certificate Authorities (CAs).
- Data Integrity: HTTPS ensures that the data transferred between the server and the browser remains intact and unaltered during transmission. Any tampering with the data en route will be detected, helping to maintain the integrity of the information.
- Trust and Security: Websites using HTTPS instill trust and confidence in visitors by providing a secure browsing experience. It helps protect against various cyber threats, such as man-in-the-middle attacks, data breaches, and information theft.
- SEO Benefits: Search engines like Google prioritize websites with HTTPS in their search rankings. Having HTTPS can improve your website’s visibility and performance in search results.
How does HTTPS work ?
HTTPS adds encryption to the HTTP protocol by wrapping HTTP inside the SSL/TLS protocol (which is why SSL is called a tunneling protocol), so that all messages are encrypted in both directions between two networked computers (e.g. a client and web server).
What happens if my website doesn’t use HTTPS ?
In 2020, websites that do not use HTTPS or serve mixed content (serving resources like images via HTTP from HTTPS pages) are subject to browser security warnings and errors. Furthermore, these websites unnecessarily compromise their users’ privacy and security, and are not preferred by search engine algorithms. Therefore, HTTP and mixed-content websites can expect more browser warnings and errors, lower user trust and poorer SEO than if they had enabled HTTPS.
Why is it important to use HTTPS ?
Without HTTPS, internet users and data exchanged online between clients (e.g., browsers) and a web server are at risk from the following:
Interception attacks: HTTPS uses the TLS protocol to encrypt communications. Even if attackers intercept the communication, they cannot decrypt and steal the data.
Credential theft: Credential theft is behind 54% of security incidents, according to a report from Ponemon. If a website has HTTPS implemented correctly, any data submitted via that website — for example, login credentials — will be secure, as it is encrypted.
Decreased trust: Websites that signal they are HTTPS have been issued a digital certificate by a trusted CA. The CA performs due diligence checks on the company during the certificate issuance. However, caution should still be used, as according to statistics from the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG), 83% of phishing sites use HTTPS.
How do I enable HTTPS on my website ?
To protect a public-facing website with HTTPS, it is necessary to install an SSL/TLS certificate signed by a publicly trusted certificate authority (CA) on your web server.
Overall, HTTPS is essential for ensuring the security, privacy, and integrity of data exchanged between websites and users, making it a fundamental component of secure web communication.
