Níl in HTTPS ach HTTP ag rith laistigh de chainéal TLS-chriptithe. Tugann TLS (Transport Layer Security) trí ráthaíocht duit: confidentiality (tá an trácht criptithe), integrity (ní féidir é a chur as riocht gan bhrath), agus authentication (tá tú i ndáiríre ag labhairt leis an bhfreastalaí atá ainmnithe sa certificate). Déantar é a chaibidil i handshake roimh aon HTTP a sheoladh:
Client Server
│──── ClientHello ──────────────────────▶│ (TLS versions, cipher suites, random)
│◀─── ServerHello + Certificate ─────────│ (chosen cipher + cert with public key)
│ │
│ verify cert against a trusted CA │
│ agree on keys (e.g. ECDHE key exchange)│
│ │
│──── Finished (encrypted) ──────────────▶│
│◀─── Finished (encrypted) ───────────────│
│========= encrypted application data ====│ (now HTTP flows, encrypted)
