HTTPS stands for which secure protocol?

• A. Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Sockets Layer
• B. Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure
• C. Hypertext Secure Transfer Protocol
• D. Hypertext Transfer Protocol on Secure Layer

Answer: (A)

HTTPS is the secure version of the web’s Hypertext Transfer Protocol, protected by a security layer (TLS/SSL) that encrypts and authenticates the connection. The established expansion is Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, which reflects that HTTP traffic is secured by TLS/SSL. The idea isn’t that the protocol name literally includes the word “over” or “on”; it’s that HTTP runs with a security layer to create a secure channel. The other phrasing describes the relationship but isn’t the formal name used for the protocol.