ITPEC IP October 2023 Question 40
The communication protocol between a web browser and a web server was changed from HTTP to HTTPS. Which of the following does this achieve?
Explanation
Protection of confidentiality in communication — HTTPS encrypts the traffic between the browser and the web server.
HTTPS is HTTP carried over TLS. Before any page is exchanged, the browser checks the server's certificate and the two sides agree on a session key; everything after that is encrypted. Someone tapping the line sees only ciphertext, so passwords, card numbers and page contents stay confidential. TLS also detects tampering and confirms the server's identity.
Answer (c)
Why not others:
- •(a) — encryption and the TLS handshake add processing; they do not raise the transfer rate
- •(b) — a virus can arrive just as easily over an encrypted connection; preventing infection is the job of antivirus software and patching
- •(d) — how fast the browser draws the page does not depend on the connection being encrypted
Key rule: HTTPS (TLS) protects data in transit: confidentiality, integrity and server authentication. It does not check what the data contains, and it does not make anything faster.
Security · AI-written, may contain errors
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