In this chapter, we'll learn how to initiate secure connections to web servers using Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS). HTTPS provides several benefits over HTTP. HTTPS gives an authentication method to identify servers and detect impostors. It also protects the privacy of all transmitted data and prevents interceptors from tampering with or forging transmitted data.
In HTTPS, communication is secured using Transport Layer Security (TLS). In this chapter, we'll learn how to use the popular OpenSSL library to provide TLS functionality.
The following topics are covered in this chapter:
- Background information about HTTPS
- Types of encryption ciphers
- How servers are authenticated
- Basic OpenSSL usage
- Creating a simple HTTPS client
