ITPEC IP April 2024 Question 38
Which of the following is an appropriate description of the beginning of a URL indicating that TLS is used for communication between a web browser and a web server?
Explanation
https:// — HTTPS is HTTP carried over a TLS connection, and the URL scheme names it.
When the browser opens a URL beginning https:, it first sets up a TLS session with the web server: the server proves its identity with a server certificate, and the two sides agree on a key to encrypt the communication. HTTP requests and responses then travel through that encrypted channel, protected against eavesdropping and tampering. The default port is 443, where plain HTTP uses 80.
Answer (b)
Why not others:
- •(a)
http:— plain HTTP, sent without encryption// - •(c)
shttp:— the scheme of S-HTTP, an early rival secure protocol that was never widely adopted; it is not HTTP over TLS// - •(d)
ssl:— SSL is the predecessor of TLS, but browsers use no such scheme; HTTP over SSL or TLS is written// https://
Key rule: The S in HTTPS means HTTP secured by TLS (formerly SSL): a server certificate authenticates the server and the traffic is encrypted.
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