Browser address bar showing the HTTP and HTTPS protocol difference

When you visit a website, the protocol it supports appears at the left of the web address. Similarly, protocols that support http or https are used in secure data transfers.

Let's first take a brief look at what HTTP and HTTPS are.

HTTP is short for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol. It means that the information shared between the sender and the server is processed without any encryption. In other words, if a website you visit begins with http://, all the information you share with that website is generally not protected by security protocols on your computer and becomes open to outside threats. For this reason, if you are making a transaction on a site that begins with http://, it is advisable not to enter information such as usernames, passwords, membership details and credit card details when asked.

HTTPS is short for Secure Hyper Text Transfer Protocol. It guarantees the addition of a security measure that sends and receives all kinds of information in encrypted form between the sender and the server. This security measure is the SSL certificate. In other words, if a website you visit begins with https://, it has an SSL certificate and guarantees the security of card and other information in purchases.

In particular, an SSL certificate must be present on e-commerce sites that ask customers for sensitive information. An SSL certificate uses different encryption methods for sending personal information and card details entered into payment page forms to banks and for storing them. In this way, online purchases are made secure and data is transferred safely.

Diagram comparing HTTP and HTTPS secure data transfer

So why should we use HTTPS?

  • Information entered during transactions is encrypted in transit. This way, users' data cannot be obtained by third parties, allowing users to shop on the website with peace of mind.
  • Because payments are made on e-commerce sites, extra security measures are required. Otherwise, credit card details could fall into the hands of third parties. Thanks to the SSL certificate, all information provided during payment is protected by encryption. For this reason, it is safe to shop on sites that use HTTPS.
  • Sites with a security certificate load data much faster. Sites that take SEO seriously can rank much higher in search engines with an SSL certificate.