Security measures are crucial in today’s interconnected digital world to prevent unauthorised access, use, or modification of information. There is an essential need for security on those websites where we are asked to enter sensitive personal information or complete financial transactions.

SSL vs. HTTPS

Given their common use, may SSL and HTTPS be seen as interchangeable? The right answer is obviously “no.”

Web browsers talk to one another via HTTPS, an encrypted version of the HTTP protocol. In order to send the encrypted data, we employ SSL and TLS.

SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer, on the other hand, is a common data-encryption protocol used today. We’ll talk about the https vs ssl protocols and their differences within the context of this discussion. But before we go too far, let’s make sure we understand the basics of these two, namely HTTP.

Just what does “HTTPS” stand for?

The Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) is the encrypted and authenticated variant of the more common HTTP protocol.

Not only does it encrypt information retrieved through the HTTP protocol, but it also guarantees that data in transit between PCs and servers cannot be intercepted. Information is encrypted using HTTPS using methods developed for that purpose.

Security of Information

Using encryption and authentication, HTTPS ensures that all sent data between the user’s browser and the website they are viewing remains unaltered. If the hackers did manage to steal the data, they would be unable to decipher it or make any modifications to it.

So, what is SSL, exactly?

Secure Sockets Layer, or SSL, was created by Netscape in 1995 and is a system for encrypting data sent over the internet. SSL is an abbreviation for “secure sockets layer.” It encrypts information in tandem with the HTTP protocol. With SSL enabled, HTTP becomes HTTPS, and all communications between client and server are encrypted.

Why Do We Need SSL and TLS?

SSL encrypts data before sending it over the internet to protect its privacy. As a result, even if an adversary gains access to the SSL-encrypted data, all they would see is a meaningless tangle of characters.

Where do HTTPS and SSL diverge most significantly?

Following our discussion of the pros and cons of SSL and HTTPS, we have come to the conclusion that HTTPS and SSL are two separate but related protocols.

HTTPS is a protocol that encrypts data sent between a server and a browser by using SSL/TSL in addition to the more common HTTP.

Data transmissions made over the internet may be encrypted and decrypted with the help of the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol.

Transport Layer Security (TLS) and secure Sockets layer (SSL) may be used to encrypt other protocols used by apps in addition to HTTPS. The acronyms SMTP, FTP, XMPP, and NNTP all stand for these transfer protocols.

Conclusion

When it comes down to it, HTTPS and SSL are inextricably linked. “HTTPS” means “HTTP over Secure Sockets Layer.” HTTPS encrypts data in transit when an SSL certificate has been placed on the website. Combining the two technologies is common practise. (Even if TLS is now being used instead of SSL, which it was designed to replace).