HTTPS

HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is an extension of HTTP that uses TLS (Transport Layer Security) to encrypt communication. Unlike standard HTTP, where data is sent in plain text, HTTPS wraps the traffic in an encrypted layer, protecting sensitive information from man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks.

How it works

The protocol relies on a TLS handshake to establish a secure connection. During this process, the server provides a digital certificate issued by a trusted Certificate Authority (CA). The client verifies the certificate, then both parties negotiate encryption algorithms and generate session keys.

HTTPS is the industry standard for all web resources, including payment gateways and corporate portals. It is a prerequisite for utilizing advanced web features and APIs:

• HTTP/2 and HTTP/3 performance optimizations;
• Progressive Web Apps (PWA);
• WebAuthn for passwordless authentication.

According to industry telemetry, encrypted traffic accounts for over 90% of all web requests globally. Modern browsers enforce HTTPS by displaying security warnings on non-encrypted sites and prioritizing HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security) policies.