CIW Professional Practice Exam 2025 – Complete Study Resource

HTTPS signifies "Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure," which indicates that the protocol is an extension of HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) that incorporates security features to protect the data being transmitted between a user's web browser and the web server. This is achieved through the use of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or TLS (Transport Layer Security) protocols, which encrypt the information to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity.

Using HTTPS is crucial for secure transactions on the internet, especially when dealing with sensitive information such as passwords, credit card details, and personal data. By adding the "S" for "Secure," it alerts users that their connection is encrypted, and they can have a greater level of trust in the website they are interacting with.

Other options do not accurately represent the definition or function of HTTPS. For instance, "Hypertext Transfer Protocol Standard" does not reflect the secure aspect, while "Hyper Transfer Protocol System" and "Hypertext Terminal Protocol Secure" are not recognized standards in web communication and do not accurately describe HTTPS either.