Understanding SSLs, TLS, HTTPS and Why It Matters

If, like us, you eat sleep breathe the Internet, you think everything is obvious. But we’ve come across several clients and potential clients in the last few weeks who glazed over when we mentioned SSLs and HTTPS. Normally, when this happens, we look to our blog and send the user there for an explanation … we went to look and the cupboard was bare.

So here it is, a quick explanation of these important web technologies: SSLs, TLS and HTTPS.

What Is HTTPS?

When the internet was a new thing, all web pages were served over HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) – this was called as part of the full url: e.g. http://www.yahoo.com. Pages, form submissions (including passwords and bank details) were transported across the internet as plain text.

It didn’t take long for hackers to find a way to intercept these messages and the need to encrypt content before it was sent out from user devices became apparent. To answer this need, HTTPS was created.

HTTPS is the secure version of HTTP, the protocol used for browsing the web. The “S” in HTTPS stands for “Secure” and indicates that the site uses SSL/TLS to encrypt the data.

So a modern URL will look something like: https://yahoo.com/

Data and web pages served over HTTPS are encrypted for the entire journey between source server and the user’s device and back again.

Websites with HTTPS show a padlock symbol in the address bar, signalling a secure connection.

Why Does It Matter?

1. Protects User Data: Encryption ensures that even if data is intercepted, it cannot be read or misused without the decryption key.
2. Builds Trust: The padlock symbol and HTTPS in the address bar reassure users that their connection is secure, encouraging trust in the website. Conversely and ugly browser security warning is extremely harmful to customer trust.
3. Prevents Attacks: HTTPS prevents man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks, where attackers attempt to intercept communication between a user and a website.
4. Improves SEO: Search engines like Google prioritise HTTPS websites in their rankings, making it beneficial for website owners. A website which serves both http and https web pages needs either to implement canonical links or 301 redirects to ensure Google only tries to index and rank one page.
5. Compliance with Regulations: Many data protection laws, such as the GDPR, mandate secure data transmission, which HTTPS supports.

In short, HTTPS is no longer optional for websites; it is essential for maintaining security, building trust, staying legal and staying competitive. As online threats evolve, ensuring a secure browsing experience is not just a best practice but a necessity in safeguarding both users and businesses.

SSL vs TLS: What’s the Difference?

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and TLS (Transport Layer Security) are the protocols that provide encryption for data exchanged over the internet. While often used interchangeably, they are not the same. TLS is the more secure and modern successor to SSL, and understanding the difference between the two is essential for anyone involved in online security.

What Is SSL?

SSL was the first widely adopted protocol for encrypting data transmitted between a user’s browser and a web server. Introduced by Netscape in the 1990s, SSL went through several versions before being deprecated:

• SSL 1.0: Never released due to security flaws.
• SSL 2.0: Released in 1995 but quickly replaced due to vulnerabilities.
• SSL 3.0: Launched in 1996 and became widely used but is now considered insecure.

Although SSL is technically outdated, people often still refer to “SSL certificates” even though these certificates now use TLS.

What Is TLS?

TLS is the more secure and efficient successor to SSL. Introduced in 1999, it builds on SSL’s foundation but with improved encryption algorithms and enhanced security features. There are several versions of TLS:

• TLS 1.0: An improvement over SSL 3.0 but now deprecated.
• TLS 1.1: Introduced in 2006 but also deprecated.
• TLS 1.2: Released in 2008, it is still widely used and considered secure.
• TLS 1.3: Introduced in 2018, it offers faster performance and stronger security.

Key Differences Between SSL and TLS

1. Security: TLS uses stronger encryption algorithms and authentication processes than SSL, making it much more secure against modern cyber threats.
2. Efficiency: TLS reduces latency during the handshake process, improving speed without compromising security.
3. Deprecation: SSL is entirely outdated and should no longer be used, while TLS is the current standard.
4. Features: TLS introduces features like Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS), which ensures that past communications remain secure even if encryption keys are compromised.

Why Does It Matter?

Understanding the difference between SSL and TLS ensures proper implementation of secure communication protocols. Websites using outdated SSL versions are vulnerable to attacks and may not comply with current security standards, leading to potential breaches and loss of user trust.

Today, when someone refers to SSL, they often mean TLS. For optimal security, businesses and developers should ensure their systems support the latest TLS version (TLS 1.3) and avoid using older, deprecated protocols.

At Little Fire we eat sleep breathe the Internet, we understand how to implement security throughout all of our developments. We invest continuously in monitoring and securing the sites we host. We work closely with our hosts to ensure the latest secure protocols are used on our sites. If you have anything online, it doesn’t matter who you are, online security matters.

You should talk to us – we’ll take time to assess your needs and if and how we can help. Book your no-obligation call today.