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What is the Difference Between Http and Https?
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (http) is a system for transmitting and receiving information across the Internet. Http serves as a request and response procedure that all agents on the Internet follow so that information can be rapidly, easily, and accurately disseminated between servers, which hold information, and clients, who are trying to access it. Http is commonly used to access html pages, but other resources can be utilized as well through http. In many cases, clients may be exchanging confidential information with a server, which needs to be secured in order to prevent unauthorized access. For this reason, https, or secure http, was developed by Netscape corporation to allow authorization and secured transactions.
In many ways, https is identical to http, because it follows the same basic protocols. The http or https client, such as a Web browser, establishes a connection to a server on a standard port. When a server receives a request, it returns a status and a message, which may contain the requested information or indicate an error if part of the process malfunctioned. Both systems use the same Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) scheme, so that resources can be universally identified. Use of https in a URI scheme rather than http indicates that an encrypted connection is desired.
There are some primary differences between http and https, however, beginning with the default port, which is 80 for http and 443 for https. Https works by transmitting normal http interactions through an encrypted system, so that in theory, the information cannot be accessed by any party other than the client and end server. There are two common types of encryption layers: Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), both of which encode the data records being exchanged.
When using an https connection, the server responds to the initial connection by offering a list of encryption methods it supports. In response, the client selects a connection method, and the client and server exchange certificates to authenticate their identities. After this is done, both parties exchange the encrypted information after ensuring that both are using the same key, and the connection is closed. In order to host https connections, a server must have a public key certificate, which embeds key information with a verification of the key owner's identity. Most certificates are verified by a third party so that clients are assured that the key is secure.
Https is used in many situations, such as log-in pages for banking, forms, corporate log ons, and other applications in which data needs to be secure. However, if not implemented properly, https is not infallible, and therefore it is extremely important for end users to be wary about accepting questionable certificates and cautious with their personal information while using the Internet.
Discussion Comments
Very helpful information. Very clearly and simply described.
To the point information. Useful and can be easily understood by a commoner.
Could you provide some more information related to protocols?
It's good and easily understandable
https is just secure for preventing unauthourized access. it works like a proxy server.
thanks for crystal clarification between the two http and https.
Many thanks. I'm a newbie and learned something new.
The best question I have not seen asked. Why?
Why would a company have both http:// and https:// The user is only told to go to the http://site. The owner or someone else knows about the https://site. Why? I am referring to websites that do request very private information! This has to be best question of the day! Why would a checked out clean site do this? Why?
thank you very much. it really cleared my basic doubts. Thanks once again. Nishank
wow! Awesome explanation man! well done. Dev, sys-admin.
it was really a nice concept to understand for new readers.
Detailing about http and https is very good. Even a layman like me can understand. Thank you. - Sateesh K.
How can we create an SSL certificate ourselves and how do we install our own SSL certificate?
nice post. it really help me know more, although basic, important information. thanks!
Nice article and it explains the basics of http and https. Keep it up.
It was good. thanks for your information.
can you please explain with some examples?
It's very helpful and one can easily get to know about http and https.
it's really easy to understand, and a better way to get to know the details.
very good article. keep it up
Very nice. It's a good article.
it was very good and easy to understand by a new reader as well.
great concept. it's too simple and easy to understand. Thanks.
good. gives basic information.
Good one, useful for me.
Good one.
it was good.
very good article and very much useful. Thanks for letting me know the difference between http and https.
thanks, your article is very simple and helpful.
Thanks. Your articles are short and easy to understand.
Good post.
good details in simple, user friendly language. Good work.
really worthwhile and simple way of presentation.
Thanks for clearing up the difference between http and https.
Thanks for this. I appreciate it.
This post impressed me. Good.
According to me, its a very good description about http and https.
Simply superb. Thanks for your info.
good work.
Great job dear. Is there any effect on SEO?
Thanks, sathish.
Really useful article. Thanks.
great explanation of the difference between http: and https: great job Leo!
Short and sweet without much getting deep into complexities of technical stuff.. Great efforts. -M.Aziz
I want to know functional/technical difference between HTTP and HTTPS.
nice post in simple words.
Thanks. Really, i was always confused on this, but when i read this pages then my confusion has been cleared. Really, thanks very much.
Very good reply and easy to understand.
very nice information that was really useful.
It is described in very simple language.Thanks a lot. Kailash S. (Cavinkare Pvt.Ltd. Haridwar)
Very easy to understand! --Subbu, Mumbai
thanks. it's really a useful article.
thank you very much. it really cleared my basic doubts. Thanks once again.
Great piece of info.
Nice.
Excellent overview. I am a computer engineering student and I appreciate your work.
good info.
Nice article. Thanks. Prabu R.
Nice post. Allan J.
Nice article! Very much helpful for me. --gunasekhar
Good one. Small effort and good effect.
Really a nice article. (Dinesh the network King!)
Good. It's really a nice article giving a clear overview of the required content. Thank you.
can you post more on http and https?
Thanks for the post. May i know some examples where we can use "http" and "https"? -Manohar G
it's really nice and very simple to understand.
Information shared was very useful. Thank you.
-Manohar
This is really very nice and helpful to understand. Thanks.
Thanks for giving such a clear and precise differences.
something's bothering me for a while: if I have a form on http:// and action of the form is https:// are the submitted data on the form encrypted and safe? asking because it's "sent" from a not-secure page? any idea?
Short and to the point. Very informative.
it's clearly given what the difference is. thank you.
Good article.
It's good information to get clear idea about HTTP and HTTPS. --Magukutti.
a nice article for beginner. helps in understanding the basic difference between http and https.
pretty good info about http and https. thanks for the author who provided this.
Very good information is posted here. But we are looking for a detailed description.
HTTPS encrypts the values that is sent during the postbacks, all the viewstate data will be in encrypted format. where as HTTP doesn't encrypt the postback values and will be in string format. Options for configuring different security level will be done in IIS or web server. Client may or may not have certificates. it depends on the web server security configuration. Correct me if am wrong :) mv kotekar Thank you.
I am still confuses with this. Should I know the functional difference between this two?
Thanks in advance. --Arvind
I want to know the actual functional or technical working of both HTTP and HTTPS, as well as the functional differences between them.
It's a good article. Gives basic information about http and https.
Very nice article.
A sweet, short and complete picture of the topic
Https works in the transport layer and http in the presentation layer.
It's a good article, giving basic information about http and https. Nice work.
It's a good article.
It's really a very good answers. i am able to sort out all my queries. thanks.
Really nice answer.
It's a good article. it cleared my questions.
Thank you.
really good article! by sarath
It's really nice information.
nice article. it may be helpful to new comers. thanks anilaluvala
Very informative to understand the basic difference, which will help even a layman to have a nice idea. Rajesh
Nice article. Informative.
good article.
What are the advantages of https?
good article, nicely posted.
great, it's really a great article. i was just looking for this kind of article about difference between http and https. thanks
A more elaborate description should be post terms a user can understand.
Good one. I really want to know about secure connections over the web!
good one. really helps
Useful information -- Aparna
It really helps.
Great article!
in which layer of Model it differ?means network layer or presentation layer?
i am getting an issue when posting to a HTTP URL...i am using a https connetion in my code...
should it give an error ???
if https is secured then why do we use http
How can we create Https in web browsers
Most of the webmails like gmail, yahoo etc.. use secured http(https) but why rediff mail is not using secured one? Does it mean it is not at all secured?
What are the advantages of https?
It's a good article.. Giving basic information about http & https..
I want to know the actual functional or technical working of both HTTP and HTTPS, as well as the functional differences between them.
I want to know functional/technical difference between HTTP and HTTPS.
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