HTTP Protocol Enhancements
Secure Data Transport (SHTTP, HTTPS)
- Security was added to the HTTP exchange with SHTTP, and then HTTPS. This was the addition of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) around the HTTP protocol, which added not only a secure transport, but the ability of a client to view the information about a server. (View the Server X.509 Certificate)
Note: This does not increase the security of other points in the chain. If the server is trivial to compromise, then the data can still be easily disclosed. Nobody has tried to steal data by decrypting SSL data, but people attack web servers all the time.