S-HTTP

S-HTTP

S-HTTP is the abbreviation for Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol. S-HTTP is an Internet protocol and was developed in 1995. This Internet protocol defines an encrypted data transfer via Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) between web browser and web server.

The operation of S-HTTP

With this protocol, secure data transmission is carried out via HTTP. sIn this process, certificates are used to mark the HTML documents individually. The S-HTTP messages then consist of the HTTP message, with each individual message being encrypted, and the preferences of the sender and those of the recipient regarding encryption. The cryptography here consists of three security services: the digital signature, encryption, and authentication. The combination of these components is negotiated between the browser and the server during the request. The individual requests and responses can be signed, encrypted, or signed and encrypted. The security protocol supports both symmetric and asymmetric encryption methods. In a symmetric encryption system, the server and the browser each use the same key. In asymmetric encryption, the client and server use different keys. In this case, the user generates a key pair consisting of a private and a public key.

Data transmission S-HTTP

First, the client sends a request to the server. The request contains all HTTP details. A distinction is made between sending and receiving data. Details are given about which options the client uses when sending the data and which options the server needs for receiving this data. To decrypt the message, the recipient of the message must analyze its header to determine which encryption method was used.

Application of S-HTTP

The original reason for developing this security protocol was to promote e-commerce. In order to prevent misuse in the online management of personal data or the security of payment transactions for online purchases, this security protocol is used. S-HTTP is also used for home banking and stock exchange transactions that are carried out over the Internet.

Difference between S-HTTP and HTTPS

The Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol should not be confused with the Hyptertext Transfer Protocol Secure. The difference between these two protocols is that with S-HTTP, encryption is applied to each request, whereas with HTTPS, data is encrypted and securely exchanged between server and client via an SSL/ TSL tunnel. More common today is the use of HTTP-S (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure).