HTTPS: Meaning, Default Port, Advantages, and Differences

There is one thing that should not be missed when discussing websites, and that is HTTPS. What exactly is HTTPS? HTTPS itself stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, from the definition itself we can understand that it is an information / data transmission protocol used for transmission on the internet in a secure and encrypted manner.

HTTPS itself is actually a development of the HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) protocol which is commonly applied to visit sites on the internet. HTTPS comes by utilizing the SSL/TLS (Secure Socket Layer/Transport Layer Security) protocol to secure the data transmission process between the server and the client (browser) so that the data cannot be seen and read by unauthorized parties.

HTTPS Default Port

The default port commonly used in HTTPS services is port 443. When a website uses HTTPS, the client (browser) will communicate directly with the server via port 443 as reported by router-switch.com.

By default, when we access a website that uses HTTPS, the URL address accessed will begin with “https://” so that port 443 does not need to be written explicitly in the URL. However, if the server uses another port for HTTPS services, then the port must be written in the URL, for example “https://www.website.com:8443”.

Advantages

HTTPS has several advantages over HTTP, including:
1. Data security: HTTPS uses SSL/TLS encryption to secure the data sent between the server and the client (browser), so that the data cannot be read by unauthorized parties.
2. Certificate authority: HTTPS uses digital certificates issued by a certificate authority (CA) to authenticate the server and guarantee the security of the communication. This way, users can be sure that they are communicating with a legitimate and trusted site.
3. SEO Ranking: Reporting from gotchseo.com, Google has announced that HTTPS is a ranking factor for SEO, so websites with HTTPS protocols have a better chance of appearing on the first page of search results.
4. Privacy protection: HTTPS protects user privacy by preventing phishing and man-in-the-middle attacks, which can take over sensitive data such as passwords and credit card information.
5. User trust: Internet users tend to be more trusting of sites that use HTTPS because they demonstrate a commitment to maintaining user security and privacy.

In conclusion, HTTPS provides better security and privacy, as well as greater user trust than HTTP.

Comparison of HTTPS and HTTP Differences

HTTPS and HTTP are two communication protocols used to send information and data on the internet. Although both have the same function, there are some differences between HTTPS and HTTP, including:
1. Security: HTTPS uses SSL/TLS encryption to secure the data sent between the server and the client (browser), while HTTP does not use encryption so the data sent is not secure because it is vulnerable to being seen by any party.
2. Port: HTTPS uses port 443 as its default port, while HTTP uses port 80 as its default port.
3. Digital certificate: HTTPS uses a digital certificate issued by a certificate authority (CA) to authenticate the server and ensure communication security. Meanwhile, HTTP does not use digital certificates, making it vulnerable to attacks such as phishing.
4. Speed: HTTPS takes longer to process data because it has to encrypt and decrypt the data. HTTP does not require encryption so it is faster in processing data.
5. SEO: Although Google has announced that HTTPS is a ranking factor for SEO, websites with HTTP protocol can still compete in terms of ranking on search engines.

In conclusion, HTTPS is more secure and can protect user data from snooping or eavesdropping by unauthorized parties. If you want to know more about website security, please read our article: Website Security. However, HTTP is still commonly used because it is faster and has lower costs in implementation.