Systems Analyst: What is the difference between HTTP and HTTPS?

HTTP — unencrypted. HTTPS — encrypted (HTTP + TLS).

HTTP:

• Plain text communication.
• Port 80.
• No encryption.
• Vulnerable to attacks.

HTTPS:

• Encrypted communication.
• Port 443.
• TLS encryption.
• Certificate verification.

Benefits of HTTPS:

• Data confidentiality.
• Data integrity.
• Server authentication.
• SEO ranking boost.
• Required for modern APIs.