SECAI Core · phase 10 of 15
HyperText Transfer Protocol/HTTP Secure
Application protocol used to provide web content to browsers. HTTP uses port 80. HTTPS(ecure) provides for encrypted transfers, using TLS and port 443.
The Explain card
- Plain English
- HTTP is the language browsers and apps use to request and deliver web content, normally on port 80. HTTPS is the same conversation wrapped in TLS on port 443, so it is encrypted and the server is authenticated.
- Example
- A company's internal LLM assistant is served over plain HTTP on the office network. Anyone on that network can read employees' prompts, including pasted contracts and credentials. Moving it to HTTPS closes that window.
- Why it matters
- Nearly every AI product is delivered through HTTP APIs. Plain HTTP leaks prompts, session cookies, and API keys; HTTPS is the baseline that makes the rest of the security stack meaningful.
- Hook
- HTTP is a postcard, HTTPS is a sealed letter.
Where it sits in the deck
Phase 10: Identity, Access, and Cryptographic Foundations
Before examining threats to systems, establish the foundational security primitives — identity, authentication, authorisation, and the cryptography underpinning them.
