TCP/IP Guide

HTTP Security and Privacy

Many TCP/IP protocols lack security measures, largely because they were developed when security wasn't a big concern. As the Internet has developed, security has become extremely important, however. In the case of the Web, the issue is even more important due to the significance of the changes that have occurred in the content of HTTP messages since the protocol was first developed.

HTTP has become the vehicle for transporting any and every kind of information, including a large amount of personal data. HTTP was initially designed to carry academic documents such as memos about research projects. Today, an HTTP message is more likely to carry someone's mortgage application, credit card number, or medical details. Thus, ...