Dictionary · Protocols and Ports
HTTPS
HTTPS — Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure
Web · Beginner
Web transfer protected by transport encryption. The server presents a certificate, and the browser checks that it names the site the user requested.
The padlock means the transfer is encrypted and the certificate matched the name you requested. It does not mean the organization, the content, or the business is trustworthy.
Picture it
The padlock means the transfer is encrypted and the certificate matched the name you requested. It does not grade the organization or the content.
Example: A browser connects to example.com, checks a certificate for that name, and only then sends the page request inside the encrypted session.
Ports
- TCP 443 — Encrypted web
Common misconception
- A padlock does not prove a site is honest. It proves the transport is protected and the certificate matched the requested name.