Book Image

Understanding TCP/IP

By : CP Books a.s.
Book Image

Understanding TCP/IP

By: CP Books a.s.

Overview of this book

This book covers in detail the Open System Interconnection (OSI) reference model and the TCP/IP protocols that operate that different layers. Its coverage includes various application protocols. The authors explain in an easy-to-read style networking concepts and protocols, with examples that make the book a practical guide in addition to its coverage of theory.
Table of Contents (20 chapters)
19
Index

Chapter 14. Hypertext Transfer Protocol

The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) protocol is a significantly young protocol. Its origin dates back to the year 1990. Its predecessor was the Gopher protocol (today nearly forgotten). The other turning point is HTTP protocol version 0.9, which has many implementations. The new version 1.1 (RFC 2616) is more complicated.

Usage

HTTP protocol serves for information searching on the Internet (or intranet).

Security

HTTP itself supports many authentication methods (such as username and password, Kerberos, etc.). Netscape introduced securing communication by means of HTTP Secure Socket Layer (SSL). SSL became the base for the Internet standard Transport Layer Security (TLS). SSL/TLS is based on PKI with ITU-T X.509 certificates.

HTTP communication using SSL or TLS (HTTP over SSL/TLS) is called HTTPS. It is interesting that the client authentication can be done either by means of the HTTP protocol or by means of the SSL/TLS layer.

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