HTTP vs HTTPS

   Yes, beside KI games I would also like, occasionally, to write about networking. I will be posting some of the well known facts to all IT people, but still useful knowledge to common person who isn't familiar with networking. This will be also a great opportunity for you to learn some of the security issues that you face everyday when you are online. I won't be going to the core of each networking term, but maybe a little explanation of what it does and how does it affects you.

   So for today's topic I choose HTTP and HTTPS protocols. You are seeing them in action everyday while surfing. Do you know the difference?

HTTP - HyperText Transfer Protocol	HTTPS - HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure

   Roughly said, information you are sending when you are online is encrypted while using HTTPS protocol. Lets say that you want to reach www.wizard101.com. In order for you to get there, information will travel through several routers in the world, making your communication exposable. If Wizard101 or Pirate101 used HTTP protocol instead of HTTPS protocol, information, like your credentials, credit card number, etc. would be visible to everyone who intercepts your communication with www.wizard101.com or www.pirate101.com. And that goes with everything you do on the internet. HTTPS on the other hand encrypts that message, so even if someone hijacked some portion of you your information, they couldn't do anything with it. All they can see is random set of characters, nothing more than that. However, while your computer is communicating with server via HTTPS protocol, you will notice that the page is loading little slower. That is completely normal, because encrypting and decrypting messages on both sides of the communication takes a little time.

   So, whenever you are registering on new site or email hosting server or even a new game, make sure that you are using secured connection. I should also probably mention, that if you are surfing on the internet and you come across on site that doesn't use HTTPS connection by default, you can always click on your address bar and add https:// before www. In most cases you will switch to encrypted communication, in other cases you won't, unfortunately some servers don't support HTTPS protocol.

   I hope you liked this article! I know I did. Have fun, and remember, stay safe!