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Overview of HTTPS and SSL Certificates

Category Programming Technology

Introduction to HTTPS

The Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (English: Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, abbreviated as HTTPS, commonly referred to as HTTP over TLS, HTTP over SSL, or HTTP Secure) is a network security transmission protocol. Before diving into the specifics, let's first discuss the previously common HTTP protocol. HTTP is a protocol we use when browsing web pages. The data transmitted by the HTTP protocol is unencrypted, that is, plaintext, making the transmission of private information over HTTP very insecure. HTTP uses port 80 for communication, while HTTPS uses port 443. On computer networks, HTTPS communicates through the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) but utilizes SSL/TLS to encrypt data packets. The main purpose of developing this protocol was to provide identity authentication for network servers and protect the privacy and integrity of the exchanged data. This protocol was first proposed by Netscape in 1994 and subsequently expanded to the internet.

Working Principle of HTTPS

Before transmitting data, HTTPS requires a handshake between the client (browser) and the server (website), during which the encryption information for data transmission will be established. The TLS/SSL protocol is not only a set of encrypted transmission protocols but also a meticulously designed work of art by artists. TLS/SSL uses asymmetric encryption, symmetric encryption, and HASH algorithms. The specific description of the handshake process is as follows:

Here, the browser and website exchange encrypted handshake messages and verify them to ensure that both parties have obtained a consistent password and can normally encrypt and decrypt data, making a test for the subsequent actual data transmission. In addition, the encryption and HASH algorithms generally used by HTTPS are as follows:

The communication timing diagram corresponding to HTTPS is as follows:

Differences between HTTPS protocol and HTTP protocol:

SSL Certificates

From the previous discussion, we can understand that a core part of HTTPS is the handshake before data transmission, where the encryption password for data is determined. During the handshake process, the website sends an SSL certificate to the browser. An SSL certificate is similar to the ID card we use daily, serving as an identity proof for HTTPS websites. The SSL certificate contains information such as the website's domain name, certificate validity period, certificate issuing authority, and the public key used for encrypted transmission passwords. Since the password encrypted by the public key can only be decrypted by the

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