If you are trading via the Web, knowledge of these differences will be useful.

Perhaps you don't pay much attention to the full address of a website. After all, we're used to typing a name we're interested in directly and leaving the rest to our browser. But it wasn't always like that. Once upon a time (not so long ago), we had to write the full address in the url to go to the website we wanted.

So it is logical that most people today do not know the difference between "http" and "https". Besides, many browsers no longer show the full address in the address bar (for ... beauty reasons). But believe me, the difference between these two features can mean the difference between having your personal information and credit card stolen or not in an online transaction.

So if you ask your browser to show you the full address in the url bar (this is done in its settings), you will see that on some sites there is the prefix "http", while on some others - especially if you are doing a transaction where personal information is involved - you will see the prefix "https". What is the - very important - difference between the two?

These prefixes have to do with technological protocols that make it possible to navigate between different websites, hyperlinks and web pages on the Internet. Without these technological protocols, the Web would be very different. The truth is that it probably wouldn't exist without them.

That's what these two acronyms mean:

HTTP=Hyper Text Transfer Protocol

HTTP, then, stands for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol and is the primary technology that allows hyperlinks and browsing in the wild - in short, without it, there is no Web browsing. It is this technology that is used for communication between Web servers and users.

This protocol is also the foundation for huge multitasking, multi-input environments such as the World Wide Web (WWW). Without this foundation stone, the Web as we know it would not even exist, as communication functions between servers and between servers and users would not be possible.

See also: Instructions to increase the security of your iPhone or iPad device in 2016

HTTPS=Secure Hyper Text Transfer Protocol

HTTPS is essentially the same as HTTP - as its name suggests - with the addition of Secure - which means it has an extra layer of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) security. This protocol arose from the need to transact over the Web securely. SSL, then, is a powerful system of secure and impenetrable encryption that makes our data inaccessible to intruders while in transit over the Internet. This system is mainly used on online shopping sites during the process of purchasing products, but also anywhere that user data needs to be encrypted. So we know that a website is secure if we see the prefix 'https' at the beginning of its address, in the url line.

So whenever you go to make a purchase in an online store, and you have to enter, apart from your personal details, your credit card details, it is advisable to check first whether the address of the website in question contains the prefix "https". Another way to check is to look for a "padlock" icon next to the address of the website in question or in the status bar (at the bottom) of your browser.

See also: The 5 best VPN apps for iOS

Online security is just common sense

There are too many transactions that require encryption to secure user data. For example, logging into a bank account environment requires strong encryption if we don't want to say goodbye to our money. If, despite hope, you do not see the "https" prefix or the padlock in your browser's address bar, needless to say, do not proceed with any transaction: you risk the theft of your data.

One more thing: never leave a secure website without logging out - especially if you are on a public computer (office, Internet Cafe, etc.) Some sites automatically log you out when you leave them, but others do not. If for some reason they don't automatically log out and you forget to log out, then, anyone can access your account, even remotely (i.e. without being on the same computer).

It's safe to say that the above scenario requires knowledge and bad intentions on the part of the third party who will find your account "on a plate", but this is something much easier to do than you might imagine and you certainly don't want to risk it. One thing is for sure: the encryption that exists today is good and enough to protect you from any malicious user, as long as you too are careful and follow some simple security rules.

Rule one: always check for the "https" or "padlock" in the url - status bar of your browser.

Rule two: we always log out or confirm that we have logged out after our transaction from that website.

See also: How to set up a VPN network.

from Elichord