HTTPS is a combination of HTTP and SSL/TLS (Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security) protocols. When a client sends a request to a server over HTTPS, the server responds with a certificate that contains a public key. The client uses this public key to establish a secure connection with the server by exchanging a series of encrypted messages. Once the connection is established, data exchanged between the client and server is encrypted and protected from eavesdropping and tampering.
The SSL/TLS protocol provides several key security features, including:
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Encryption: All data sent between the client and server is encrypted, making it unreadable to attackers.
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Authentication: The SSL/TLS protocol provides a mechanism for clients to verify the identity of the server they are communicating with, preventing man-in-the-middle attacks.
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Data integrity: The SSL/TLS protocol ensures that data sent between the client and server has not been tampered with in transit.
In order to use HTTPS, a website must obtain a valid SSL/TLS certificate from a trusted certificate authority (CA). The certificate contains information about the website's domain name, as well as the public key used for encryption. Browsers and other clients can use this information to verify the identity of the website they are communicating with.