HTTPS is a secure version of which communication protocol?

HTTPS is an extension of HTTP that provides an additional layer of security. The primary purpose of HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is to encrypt the data exchanged between a user's web browser and a web server, ensuring that the communication cannot be easily intercepted or tampered with by malicious actors. This is achieved by using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or its successor, TLS (Transport Layer Security), which encrypts the information during transmission.

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), on the other hand, does not provide encryption, making it vulnerable to various types of attacks, such as eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attacks. Therefore, the transition from HTTP to HTTPS enhances the security of web communications significantly.

The other options, such as FTP (File Transfer Protocol), SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol), and SCP (Secure Copy Protocol), are protocols used for different purposes, primarily around file transfers. While SFTP and SCP do provide secure file transfer capabilities, they are distinct protocols and not related to HTTPS as a secure version of HTTP.