What is Https and how it work

What is https?

HTTPS stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure. It’s an extension of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which is the fundamental protocol used for transferring data on the internet. The “S” at the end stands for “Secure,” indicating that all communications between your browser and the website are encrypted.

HTTPS is commonly used for secure communication over a computer network, especially the internet. It ensures that the data transmitted between your browser and the website’s server is encrypted and cannot be easily intercepted or tampered with by unauthorized parties.

Benefit of https://

1. Data Encryption: HTTPS uses Transport Layer Security (TLS) or its predecessor, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), to encrypt data transmitted between the web server and the client’s browser. This encryption prevents eavesdropping and tampering with the data during transit.
2. Data Integrity: HTTPS ensures that the data exchanged between the server and the client remains intact and unaltered. This is achieved through cryptographic techniques that detect any modifications to the data during transmission.
3. Authentication: HTTPS provides authentication mechanisms to verify the identity of the website’s server, ensuring that you are indeed connecting to the intended website and not a malicious impersonator. This helps prevent man-in-the-middle attacks where an attacker intercepts communications between the client and the server.
4. Trust and Security: Websites using HTTPS are considered more trustworthy and secure because they demonstrate a commitment to protecting user privacy and data security. Modern web browsers often indicate secure HTTPS connections with a padlock icon or a green address bar, providing visual cues to users that their connection is secure.

Overall, HTTPS plays a crucial role in ensuring the security, privacy, and integrity of data transmitted over the internet, making it an essential technology for safe online communication and e-commerce transactions.

Http vs Https

1. Security:
   • HTTP: HTTP is not secure by default. Data transmitted over HTTP is sent in plaintext, meaning it’s not encrypted and can be intercepted and read by anyone with access to the network traffic. This lack of encryption leaves sensitive information vulnerable to eavesdropping and tampering.
   • HTTPS: HTTPS, on the other hand, is designed to be secure. It encrypts data transmitted between the client and server using SSL/TLS protocols, ensuring that even if intercepted, the data remains unreadable. This encryption protects sensitive information, such as login credentials, personal details, and financial transactions, from unauthorized access.
2. Data Integrity:
   • HTTP: Because data transmitted over HTTP is not encrypted, it’s susceptible to manipulation or tampering during transmission. This means that attackers can potentially modify the data being sent between the client and server without detection.
   • HTTPS: HTTPS ensures data integrity by using cryptographic techniques to detect any unauthorized modifications to the data during transmission. If any tampering is detected, the connection is terminated, preventing the compromised data from being delivered to the client.
3. Authentication:
   • HTTP: HTTP does not provide any mechanism for authenticating the identity of the web server. This lack of authentication opens the door to various attacks, such as man-in-the-middle attacks, where an attacker intercepts communication between the client and server.
   • HTTPS: HTTPS authenticates the identity of the web server using digital certificates issued by trusted Certificate Authorities (CAs). These certificates verify that the website is owned and operated by the entity it claims to be. This authentication mechanism helps prevent impersonation and ensures that users are connecting to legitimate websites.
4. SEO and Trust:
   • HTTP: In recent years, major search engines like Google have begun favoring HTTPS websites in their search rankings. Websites using HTTPS are often perceived as more trustworthy by users, leading to higher conversion rates and better user experiences.
   • HTTPS: HTTPS offers SEO benefits and instills trust in users, as evidenced by the visual indicators such as the padlock icon or the “Secure” label in browsers.

How to install https or ssl :

In cloudflare Activating SSL through Cloudflare involves several steps, but it’s generally straightforward. Here’s a guide on how to activate SSL using Cloudflare:

• Select SSL/TLS encryption level:
  • In your Cloudflare dashboard, navigate to the “SSL/TLS” section.
  • Choose the encryption level you want to use. Cloudflare offers several options, including “Flexible,” “Full,” and “Full (Strict).”
  • “Flexible” SSL encrypts the connection between your website visitors and Cloudflare but not between Cloudflare and your origin server. It’s the easiest option to set up.
  • “Full” SSL encrypts the connection between your website visitors and Cloudflare and between Cloudflare and your origin server, but it doesn’t require a valid SSL certificate on your origin server.
  • “Full (Strict)” SSL encrypts the connection between your website visitors and Cloudflare and between Cloudflare and your origin server, requiring a valid SSL certificate on your origin server.
• Activate SSL:
  • After selecting your desired SSL/TLS encryption level, click the “Save” button to activate SSL for your website.
  • Cloudflare will automatically provision SSL for your domain, and your website should start using HTTPS.
• Check SSL status:
  • Once SSL is activated, check the SSL status to ensure it’s working correctly.
  • You can do this by visiting your website using HTTPS (e.g., https://yourdomain.com) and verifying that the SSL certificate is valid and the connection is secure.
  • You can also use online SSL checkers or browser tools to confirm that your website is using HTTPS and the SSL certificate is valid.

Server side no need any ssl when you select  Flexible.

Paid SSL ; If you’re looking to purchase a paid SSL certificate for your website, you have several options available from reputable Certificate Authorities (CAs). Here’s a guide on how to obtain a paid SSL certificate:

SSLs.com is a website that specializes in providing SSL certificates and other security solutions for websites. SSLs.com is a reliable source for SSL certificates and security solutions, offering a wide selection of products, competitive pricing, and helpful customer support to assist website owners in securing their online presence.follow the step for buy ssl and install .

1. 1. Choose a Certificate Authority (CA):
      • There are many trusted CAs that offer SSL certificates, including Comodo (now Sectigo), DigiCert, GlobalSign, Symantec (now DigiCert), and GeoTrust.
      • Research the different CAs and compare their offerings, pricing, and features to find the best SSL certificate for your needs.
   2. Select the type of SSL certificate:
      • CAs offer various types of SSL certificates, including single-domain, multi-domain (SAN/UCC), wildcard, and extended validation (EV) certificates.
      • Choose the type of SSL certificate that best fits your website’s requirements. For example, if you have multiple subdomains, a wildcard certificate might be suitable. If you run an e-commerce website, you might consider an EV certificate for added trust and security.
   3. Provide necessary information:
      • When purchasing an SSL certificate, you’ll need to provide certain information about your website, such as the domain name(s) for which the certificate will be issued and contact details for your organization.
      • Ensure that the information you provide is accurate and up-to-date, as it will be used to validate and issue the SSL certificate.
   4. Complete the verification process:
      • The CA will verify the information you’ve provided to ensure that you’re the legitimate owner of the domain(s) for which you’re requesting the SSL certificate.
      • Verification methods may include email verification, domain ownership verification through DNS records, or manual verification of business documents.
   5. Purchase the SSL certificate:
      • Once the verification process is complete, you can proceed to purchase the SSL certificate from the CA.
      • Prices for SSL certificates vary depending on the type of certificate, the level of validation, and additional features included (such as warranty protection and site seals).

1. Install the SSL certificate:
   • After purchasing the SSL certificate, you’ll receive the certificate files (e.g., .crt, .key) from the CA.
   • Install the SSL certificate on your web server following the instructions provided by your hosting provider or server administrator.
   • Depending on your server setup, you may need to configure your web server software (e.g., Apache, Nginx) to use the SSL certificate.
2. Verify SSL installation:
   • Once the SSL certificate is installed, verify that it’s working correctly by visiting your website using HTTPS (e.g., https://yourdomain.com) and confirming that the SSL certificate is valid and the connection is secure.