TLS vs. HTTPS setup guide

Often, most of us confuse TLS (Transport Layer Security) and HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure). TLS is a security protocol that encrypts the data that you send over the internet and HTTPS is a secure version of HTTP that uses TLS to protect your website communication.

It’s important for website security, data protection, and online privacy. Without TLS, your sensitive data like passwords, credit card details, and personal messages can get exposed to hackers. And without HTTPS, your website would remain vulnerable to cyberattacks.

What Is TLS?

TLS (Transport Layer Security) is a cryptographic protocol that encrypts your data between two communicating devices such as a web browser and a website. Maybe those two communication devices are an email client and an email server. It ensures that no one can intercept or alter your data during transmission.

What Does TLS Do?

• Encrypts your data: Prevents hackers from reading your sensitive information.

• Authenticates your servers: Ensures users connect to legitimate websites, not fake ones.

• Maintains your data integrity: Prevents unauthorized changes during transmission.

Where Is TLS Used?

TLS secures your data beyond websites. It is used in:

•  Websites (HTTPS)

•  Emails (SMTP, IMAP, POP3)

•  VoIP Calls (Voice over IP)

• Messaging Apps (WhatsApp, Signal)

• VPN Connections (Securing Internet traffic)

Without TLS, the data you send over the internet could be stolen.

What Is HTTPS?

HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure) is a secure version of HTTP that encrypts your website traffic using TLS. It helps you make sure that the connection between your browser and the website is private and protected from hackers.

How HTTPS Works?

When you visit an HTTPS website, your browser first checks its TLS certificate. If the certificate is valid, the connection is encrypted using TLS encryption. You see a padlock icon in the browser that confirms your connection is secure.

HTTPS on your website is important for security, SEO, and user trust. The first step you need is to obtain an SSL/TLS certificate.

Once you have the certificate, install it on your web server. Most hosting providers offer you built-in SSL support. After installation, update all website links to HTTPS to avoid mixed content errors. 

Next, set up 301 redirects to ensure all HTTP traffic automatically moves to HTTPS. Another important thing is to update your Google Search Console and Google Analytics. This setting is important for SEO.

Lastly, test your setup using tools like SSL Labs’ SSL Test to check for security issues and fix any mixed content warnings. For further protection, you can enable HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security) to force browsers to use HTTPS permanently. 

Why HTTPS Is Important?

• Protects your personal data: Encrypts your login details, payment info, and sensitive user data.

• Prevents cyberattacks: Stops hackers from stealing or altering your website content.

• Boosts SEO ranking: Google gives ranking preference to HTTPS websites.

• Builds user trust: Visitors feel safer browsing a website with HTTPS.

If your website does not use HTTPS, users are at risk of data theft, phishing attacks, and insecure transactions.

What You Need to Know About TLS vs. HTTPS?

Feature	TLS	HTTPS
Definition	A security protocol that encrypts your online communication	A secure version of HTTP that uses TLS
Scope	Used for emails, messaging, and VPNs	Only used for websites
Encryption	Secures your data between two servers/devices	Secures your data between a website and a browser
Implementation	Works in multiple applications	Requires SSL/TLS certificates for websites

TLS is a broader security protocol and HTTPS works as a specific part of TLS for websites.

Difference Between TLS and HTTPS Working

TLS (Transport Layer Security) and HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) are important to secure data and they function differently.

1. TLS Works at the Transport Layer, HTTPS Works at the Application Layer

TLS operates at the transport layer and helps you to secure your data before it travels between a client and a server. It encrypts any type of data you’re transmitting.

HTTPS is a mix of HTTP and TLS, it works at the application layer to encrypt your web communication specifically. It ensures secure browsing by encrypting only HTTP-based traffic.

2. TLS Secures Your Websites

TLS is an encryption protocol that you can use in various applications like email (SMTP, IMAP, POP3), VoIP, messaging apps, and VPNs. HTTPS only secures your web communication, it makes a specific implementation of TLS for your websites.

3. TLS Establishes a Secure Connection, HTTPS Uses That Connection

TLS secures communication by encrypting your data before it's transmitted and verifying server authenticity using TLS certificates.

HTTPS relies on TLS to secure HTTP requests and responses. This makes your website safe from eavesdropping and tampering.

4. TLS Can Be Used Without HTTPS, But HTTPS Always Uses TLS

You can use TLS independently for encrypting your non-web traffic (e.g., emails and file transfers). HTTPS always requires TLS to provide encryption for your web pages.

How TLS and HTTPS Work Together?

You might think TLS and HTTPS are the same, but they are not. However, they work together to keep your websites and online communications secure.

• TLS encrypts your data between two communicating servers or devices.

• HTTPS uses TLS encryption to secure your website traffic.

• Without TLS, HTTPS would not provide encryption, authentication, or data integrity.

When you visit an HTTPS website, here’s what happens:

• Your browser checks the website’s TLS certificate to verify its authenticity.

• TLS encrypts data between your browser and the website, making it unreadable to hackers.

• A padlock icon appears, indicating that the connection is secure.

If your website does not have a valid TLS certificate, most browsers will display a “Not Secure” warning and this discourages users from entering personal information.

How to Check If Your Website Uses TLS/HTTPS?

You can easily check if a website is secure by looking for these signs:

• Padlock icon in the browser address bar.

• The URL starts with "https://" instead of "http://".

• SSL/TLS certificate details (Click the padlock for more info).

Use Online Security Tools - SSL Labs' SSL Test: Check if your website has a valid TLS certificate. Find mixed content issues on HTTPS sites.

Common Misconceptions About TLS & HTTPS

HTTPS and TLS are the same: HTTPS uses TLS, but TLS secures more than just websites.

SSL and TLS are interchangeable: SSL is outdated. Modern HTTPS connections use TLS.

HTTPS makes a website 100% safe : HTTPS encrypts data, but a website can still be malicious or fake.

Conclusion

TLS and HTTPS are important for online security. TLS encrypts your data, while HTTPS ensures safe website communication.

Businesses should always use TLS-enabled HTTPS to protect users. You should avoid websites that lack HTTPS encryption. TLS secures websites, emails, messaging apps, and online services. A secure internet starts with TLS and HTTPS working together. If a website is not using HTTPS, consider it a security risk.