HTTP Vs HTTPS

Have you ever accessed a website just to receive a bunch of pop-up messages warning that the site isn’t secure?

Website security is a big deal, and users risk losing their data or being hacked when they choose to access precarious websites.

But what makes a secure website and how can users keep their data safe?
 

What is HTTP And HTTPS?

HTTP, or Hypertext Transfer Protocol, is a basic protocol that determines how data is formatted and transmitted and what web servers and browsers should do to respond to to different actions.

Whenever you access a HTTP website, your computer will communicate to the website that you are trying to gain access. That server will respond, typically with the website’s HTML code, but this communication will happen over port 80 and be unsecure, therefore alerting the user, prompting them to either avoid the website or proceed with caution.

HTTPS is an extension of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol, and is essentially the secure version of HTTP. The S in HTTPS stand for “secure”, and this layer of security encrypts and decrypts user requests and the pages returned by the web server. HTTPS connections always use port 443.

HTTPS protects users from man-in-the-middle cyberattacks and helps keep the data between the browser and the website private.

How Is HTTP Different From HTTPS?

What differentiates HTTP from HTTPS is that HTTPS is encrypted and secured using digital certificates, while HTML lacks this security feature. Whenever you access a HTTPS website, your information and data will be secure and encrypted.

HTTPS, or Hypertext Transfer Protocol, uses port 443 for communication whereas HTML (HTTP, or unsecured Hypertext Transfer Protocol) use port 80.

Is HTTP Or HTTPS Better?

HTTPS is the better option between the two as it provides a layer of security that HTTP does not. This layer of security ensures users’ data are kept private and is protected against hacker attacks.

HTTPS is also recognised by the Google search ranking algorithm, and websites that have HTTPS URLs instead of HTTP URLs rank higher than the latter. Thus, an HTTPS address also helps with a website’s SEO.

The only downfall of HTTPS, is that pages take longer to load than HTTP pages which affects a website’s speed. Optimising your website for speed can counter this affect.
 

Can A VPN Keep Your Data Safe From HTTP?

While scrolling the web, you may encounter HTTP websites more often than you think, which can be problematic if you need to conduct research on a specific topic. While this does not necessarily mean that the website is infected, it does leave your data vulnerable to potential cyber attacks.

In this instance, a VPN may be a good solution. VPNs encrypt the data and traffic from your device, making your data and whereabouts unidentifiable by any eavesdroppers or hackers who may monitor the HTTP traffic.

Using a VPN thus allows you to visit websites that use HTTP instead of HTTPS without compromising your data.

A VPN Can Help You Avoid DNS Leaks

 
DNS requests are made when you want to access a website using it’s URL. These requests are usually unencrypted and your device can leak them even when you’re scrolling HTTPS websites.

VPNs hide your encrypted traffic and cloak any DNS requests so that your ISP or any eavesdroppers can’t see them and steal any vulnerable data. Some VPNs also completely prevent DNS leaks that could leave your data exposed.

A VPN Hides Your IP Address

 
Even when you’re scrolling HTTPS websites, your IP address may still be on display. While some may not think this is an issue, others who prefer not to have their whereabouts tracked may find a VPN particularly useful.

An IP address can provide servers with a lot of information, such as your real location and your internet provider. This data is used to restrict your access to certain services and content, and a VPN can help hide your IP address, giving you free reign.

Which Is Better: VPN Or HTTPS?

While both a VPN and HTTPS encrypts your data, they are far from equal. HTTPS encrypts the data between your browser and the website you’re visiting, while a VPN encrypts all your data before it leaves the device, including data on apps and websites that doesn’t make use of HTTPS security.

While HTTPS is relatively safe, a VPN goes the extra mile to protect your information. Even then, it is a best practise to combine the two, making use of a VPN while trying to avoid public, insecure networks.

To conclude, the difference between HTTP and HTTPS is that HTTPS is more secure than the former, and they use different ports to communicate. Accessing HTTP websites can expose your data and leave it vulnerable to cyber attacks. A VPN can help protect your data from eavesdroppers and hackers, even while making use of public and insecure networks.