What are HTTP and HTTPS?

Pages of the World Wide Web use these terms to designate the protpcol to be used for the transfer the data on each Web page from the server to your computer. Pages almost always use one of these protocol in their URLs (Web addresses) — literally: HyperText Transfer Protocol. Perhaps you will one day be seeing additional identifiers added to this designation.

Recently, a friend asked if HTTPS designated a safe page. She had learned that the data flying around in cyberspace was subject to capture by computers other than the one that was intended to see the page (our computer or the Web site's server). This is true. Without getting too technical in the description, HTTPS designates an HTTP page that adds an encrypted layer to keep the data being sent over the network (www) secure.

So, what does this mean for you and me? It means that we never want to enter personal data in an Internet form that is on an HTTP page. We always want that page to be encrypted to protect out data while it is in transit between our computer and the server that sent it to us.

Some sites don't bother with https encryption. This is not necessarily because they want to be careless with your data, but because they either don't understand the difference, or don't know how to use it. Their motivation doesn't matter, your data is in danger if you have not entered it on a page where the URL begins with https instead of http. Go to a competitor's Web site and place your order on their shopping cart https page. Or if necessary, call customer service and place your order on the telephone. But don't place this order with your cell phone as your wireless data flys through cyberspace too.

Our wireless world is making it easier and easier for identity thieves.

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