Most modern websites use HTTPS to secure communication between the browser and the server. It encrypts the data in transit to protect user sessions, credentials, and other sensitive inputs. It’s become the default, and for good reason. But there’s a catch: encryption alone doesn’t guarantee that the connection will always be secure. If someone types your domain without “https” or clicks an old HTTP link, the browser might still attempt an insecure request. That small window opens the door to man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks. To eliminate that risk, you need HSTS, short for HTTP Strict Transport Security. It’s a browser-level instruction that tells devices to always use HTTPS when connecting to your site — no exceptions, no fallback. This blog will break down the difference between HSTS vs HTTPS and how they complement each other. Let’s learn to implement them correctly to protect your website. What is HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) in Cybersecurity? HTTP Strict Transport Security is a web security policy that tells browsers to connect with your website only over HTTPS, and never HTTP. It’s implemented through a response header, Strict-Transport-Security, which is sent by your server after a secure connection is established. Once a browser receives this […]
