Tuesday, August 12, 2008

What Is HTTPS

Category: Finance.

If you shop online or use online banking, then you might be familiar with HTTPS protocols and the way that they help keep your information safe. Here is some information about HTTPS and its uses.



However, if you are new to online shopping or banking, then you should know about HTTPS and how to make sure that your credit card details are safe when you purchase online. What is HTTPS? It is similar to a normal HTTP used when viewing a web site, except that it uses SSL security in order to keep your information safe and private. HTTPS stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure. This type of address is used when going to any site where you might input your financial details in order to view accounts or purchase goods. Knowing that a site is HTTPS can be important, as it will help you to decide if the site is safe to input your information or not. How do I know a site is HTTPS?


Many Internet browsers have settings that will alert you when you are going onto a secure page of a site. However, if your settings do not show this, then you should look in the address bar of the site. Then you can choose whether you enter this page or not. If you are on a page where you are going to enter information or purchase something, the page address should begin with https: // instead of http: // How does HTTPS work? That way, anyone who has access to the server that the page is on will not be able to access the information contained. HTTPS basically works by encrypting the data that you enter on the page.


This means that your credit card information remains safe and secure. Although HTTPS does help to keep your data safe, it can never be 100% effective and security breaches do occur. HTTPS problems. If you use HTTPS pages, make sure that you only use them on your private computer, and that you keep track of the pages that you use. If you have this problem then make sure you clear your cache content regularly, as this will help you to get on the site more easily. Also, there are sometimes problems accessing HTTPS pages due to them not being able to be stored correctly in your computer cache.


Don' t use unsecured sites. If you are entering financial information of any sort, make sure that the site is using HTTPS. Although HTTPS is not completely safe, it is much safer than using a site without HTTPS. If it is not then you are putting your credit card details at risk. If you use sites with HTTPS then you are much more likely to keep your credit card details safe. Always check before you use a site, and if you cannot work out whether the site is secure, then either contact the site owners or find another site to use.

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