HTTPS

HTTPS stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure. It is the encrypted way your browser talks to websites. Encryption scrambles data so only you and the site can read it, protecting passwords and card numbers from others on the same Wi-Fi or network. HTTPS also uses a certificate, a digital ID, to confirm you are connected to the domain shown in the address bar. Browsers show this with a padlock or, in Chrome, a settings-style icon. Importantly, HTTPS does not prove a site is honest: certificates are free, and most scam sites use HTTPS too. Treat it as essential but not sufficient. Never enter sensitive details on plain http:// pages.