Final answer:
The https protocol is a secure version of the http protocol, using SSL/TLS encryption to protect data transferred between a web server and a client, thereby ensuring the security of sensitive information.
Step-by-step explanation:
The https protocol is indeed a secure version of the http protocol. The 's' in https stands for 'secure' and indicates that the protocol is using SSL/TLS encryption to protect the data transferred between a web server and a client. This encryption ensures that any data sent is not easily intercepted by malicious parties, thereby providing a secure channel for sensitive data such as personal information, banking details, and login credentials.
When a user connects to a website using https, the server presents a certificate to the client's browser. This certificate is used to establish a secure connection and to verify that the website the user is connecting to is actually the server that it claims to be. This prevents man-in-the-middle attacks where a malicious user could pretend to be a legitimate website.