HTTPS - what is it, where is it used and why is it necessary at all? Security issues are relevant everywhere - including the World Wide Web. With the increase in the amount of personal data that is transferred between sites (not least due to the development of social networks), the issue of security and privacy has been actively raised.
What does HTTPS mean?
What is HTTPS and how is it decrypted? If you do not use the abbreviation, you must write HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure. And to understand all the features, consider each word. HyperText is used to describe a component of a site for which additional extensions or scripts are not needed - text, images and tables. Transfer Protocol - a standard for transferring data between different machines, which defines what should act as a signal to start transferring, how data is designated, etc. Secure - data transfer is encrypted using SSL, which makes it difficult not only to intercept, but also to receive confidential information (interception is only half the battle). A secure HTTPS connection, although not crackable, makes obtaining encrypted information an easy task. Why so will be explained below.
History of development
Initially, a secure HTTPS connection was used exclusively to protect valuable information (card numbers, passwords for them). The protocol was initially distributed only when interacting with banking sites or online stores. Therefore, only users of these services knew about HTTPS (what it is). Then search engines and social networks began to connect, and other sites pulled up behind them. Initially, only logins and passwords were encrypted, but now all the information transmitted between the server and the computer is encrypted. Now, before the data exchange with the user begins, an HTTPS connection must first be established, and then data packets with information are sent.
How is the encryption of transmitted documents?
How to encrypt a huge data array that is transmitted between unconnected networks? When you type a message in an e-mail, before it reaches the recipient, a good dozen different Internet providers can read it. And if somewhere between them a fraudster wedges in, then so does he. To do this, just open the connection. This is what happens in normal mode.
But if the HTTPS protocol is used, then this radically changes the matter. It can be compared with the agreement between your computer and the site server, which states that all data will be encrypted using a specific cipher, and only they know the "code word" that allows access to information. In this case, anyone who gets access to the flow of information will not be able to read it, because he does not have a key. Purely theoretically, there is an opportunity to get acquainted with the contents, but the process of decrypting the data will be extremely long (it takes years or even decades on the most powerful computers).
Encryption Features
Features of using the protocol are that for each user a separate certificate is created with its own key. The certificate from each site is uploaded to the user's browser, and the only more or less likely way to intercept data in the future is to intercept the certificate download on the first visit to the site. The key length can be from 40 to 256 bits. But most modern sites use a key with a length of 128 bits or more. The lower border can only be found in the United States, where export restrictions have recently been in place. Also, the protocol features include the fact that on one Internet address there can be only one site protected by this protocol. The location of several sites is possible, but requires the use of additional extensions.
Conclusion
This is the end of the HTTPS article. What is it and where is it used, you know. Remember that your safety on the Internet is primarily in your hands. Therefore, if you see that HTTPS is highlighted in red, wait - it’s quite possible that there is some gap between you and the server that allows you to lose data. After all, you need to use HTTPS to prevent problems with data theft, and if the protocol reports problems, it cannot be ignored. Although it does not hurt to check the computer for inaccuracies like an incorrectly set date.