HTTPS is the internet protocol that provides a secure, encrypted version of HTTP for websites.
HTTPS combines ordinary Hypertext Transfer Protocol with encryption supplied by Transport Layer Security, or TLS. This protects data exchanged between a browser and a web server from being read or altered easily while it travels across a network.
A browser typically indicates an HTTPS connection with a padlock or similar security symbol, although that symbol does not guarantee that a website itself is trustworthy. HTTPS mainly authenticates the server and protects the connection; it does not prove that the site’s content is honest.
HTTPS was once used mainly by banks and shopping sites, but certificate automation and browser policies made it standard across much of the web. It is different from HTTP status codes, which describe a server’s response after a request has been made.