What is HTTP?
Every time you open a website, your browser has a conversation with a server. That conversation happens in a language called HTTP — HyperText Transfer Protocol. Understanding this is the foundation of all web hacking.
Client and Server
The web runs on a simple model:
- Client — your browser. It makes requests.
- Server — a computer somewhere that hosts the website. It receives requests and sends back responses.
Every single thing you do on a website — loading a page, clicking a button, submitting a form — triggers at least one HTTP request.
HTTP vs HTTPS
HTTP sends data in plain text. Anyone between you and the server (your ISP, someone on the same Wi-Fi) can read it.
HTTPS is HTTP with encryption (TLS) layered on top. The conversation is identical — it's just scrambled in transit so only the two endpoints can read it.
The padlock in your browser means the connection is encrypted. It does not mean the website itself is safe or trustworthy.
A request and response
It's always a two-step exchange — request then response. Nothing more. The server never reaches out to you unprompted.
# Request: browser asks for a page
GET /search?q=shoes HTTP/1.1
Host: crapazon.com
# Response: server replies
HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: text/html
<html>...page content...</html>What does HTTP stand for?
HTTPS means the website is completely safe and trustworthy. True or false?