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Definition

HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure

HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) is a secure version of HTTP that encapsulates standard HTTP communication inside Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption. By encrypting web traffic, HTTPS prevents intermediate parties from intercepting, reading, or tampering with page content exchanged between a browser and a server. However, HTTPS does not conceal all online activity; while page contents remain protected, unencrypted DNS lookups can still disclose which domain names and websites a user visits. HTTPS connections typically operate over port 443 and serve as the default communication standard for modern websites.

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Updated 2026-09-06

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Prep Sessions

Anatomy of the Internet: Core Protocols and Packet Delivery @ University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ch.4 Application Layer Services and Protocols - Anatomy of the Internet: Core Protocols and Packet Delivery @ University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Web Communication with HTTP, HTTPS, and TLS - Anatomy of the Internet: Core Protocols and Packet Delivery @ University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ch.5 Conceptual Review and Analysis - Anatomy of the Internet: Core Protocols and Packet Delivery @ University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Common Networking Misconceptions - Anatomy of the Internet: Core Protocols and Packet Delivery @ University of Michigan - Ann Arbor