What is the difference between HTTP and HTTPS?

HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) is a data transfer protocol on the internet that operates without encryption. All data, including passwords and personal information, is transmitted in plain text.

HTTPS (HTTP Secure) is an extension of HTTP that uses SSL/TLS to encrypt data between the client and server. This provides:

• Confidentiality: data is protected from interception.
• Integrity: data cannot be altered in transit without detection.
• Server authentication: the client verifies the server's authenticity via a certificate.

Example: when entering a password on a website via HTTP, it can be intercepted by an attacker, whereas via HTTPS — it is protected.

In summary, HTTPS is a secure version of HTTP, which is recommended to always use, especially for sites with authentication, payments, and personal data.