HTTP VS HTTPS || What's The Difference?

While Surfing the web you must have noticed that before a website's URL[(Uniform Resource Locator)(like www.google.com)] you get something like HTTP:// or HTTPS:// but what do they mean? Today we will be looking into them in a easy to understand manner. So let's get on to it.

HTTP stands for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol. HTTP is a Protocol using which hypertext is transferred over web. Due to its simplicity and flexibility, it is the most commonly used protocol for Data Transfer. But HTTP has a problem. It does not secure our data before sending it over internet. It just sends it like plain text. Anyone, literally, anyone can just intercept your data and get access to it. This data includes login information, bank account details, personal data, fingerprints, photos, videos and any such data. Such attacks are called Man in the Middle Attack and can be done as simply as downloading an android app.

HTTPS makes our data more secure by introducing cryptographic protocols such as SSL and/or TLS. In this security, Public Key Infrastructure(PKI) is used because public keys can be used by various web browsers and the private key is for the web server of that particular website. The distribution of these public keys are done by the help of certificates that are maintained by the browser. These are verified by the web browser to check if they are still valid or if someone is trying to inject fake certificates.

Some of the points that do not need to be described

 

1. In HTTP, URL begins with http:// whereas in HTTPS, URL begins with https://
2. HTTP does not require any certificates and HTTPS requires SSL Certificates.
3. HTTP uses port 80 while HTTPS uses port 443.
4. HTTP is unsecure and HTTPS is secure.
5. HTTP websites are now removed from Google Search Engine. So to list your website on the search engine, you must have HTTPS validation for your website.
6. HTTP is actually faster than HTTPS, as it doesn't has to get certificates before a website loads and then verify it accordingly.

SO, I really hope you now understand what is better for you and in what case. Now, look for HTTPS before making a purchase online! Thank you very much.