How HTTPS Secures Data Transmissions

The protocol which is the industry standard for securely transmitting data across the Internet is called HTTPS, which stands for “Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure,” and is used to create secure web-pages.  It works in tandem with and operates the same as any other site created by HTTP, as the same language is used to create the web content. The sole difference is that when data is sent through the Internet it is all encrypted providing it with a level of security.

If you are on a site that begins with the prefix https:// web server is prepared to establish a secure communication path for your transmission. A completely different port is used, number 443, which keeps non-secure data separate from secure data.

The connection path it follows a sequence something like this:

  1. Your browser verifies the authenticity of the server by inspecting its certificate. These certificates can only be issued by particular governing bodies which charge a fee to the companies who make use of them.
  2. Once your browser has confirmed the certificate it then locates the encryption types offered by the server.
  3. Once the encryption type is agreed upon between both the server and your browser they exchange unique encryption keys which only they know (the server and the browser) and use them to encrypt the data.
  4. Using the keys the browser can then encrypt the data and transmit to the server where it uses the same key to decode the transmission and receive exactly the same thing a person sees (or enters) on their screen.

The process as described is much more complex than communications conducted by simple HTTP. Because of the extra overhead this creates the speed of transmission is generally recognizably slower – as is the decryption on the server that receives the information. Because HTTPS only picks up encrypted data should a packet sniffer steal any packets in transit the data hijacker receives will be encrypted and of no use (or sense) to the person attacking the transmission.

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The Role of the DNS

To help people navigate the Internet the Domain Name System (DNS) was created. All computers and servers connected to the Internet have their own unique address, similar to a phone number. This address is composed of a complex set of numbers called its IP address. IP is short of “Internet Protocol.”

Since remembering every person’s individual set of numbers is extremely difficult, the DNS has simplified the process by allowing Internet surfers to use familiar strings of letters (words) in place of the list of numbers. This form of IP address is called a “domain name.” Simply put instead of entering a code of numbers like: 192.0.34.65 a person can enter a domain name like: www.icann.org.

The process of translating a domain name into an IP address is referred to as “resolving the domain name.” The purpose of the DNS is to make it possible for anyone working from any computer connected to the Internet to be able to arrive at the website’s IP address of their choice by entering the domain name for that site. Both email addresses and Internet applications also make use of domain names and need to have DNS resolve their domain names in order to function as expected.

The DNS resolving the domain system can be pictured as operating much like the phone system does. When you dial a particular number your reach a particular phone because everyone with a phone has a unique phone number which when dialed only reaches that location. Both the phone system and the IP address system use unique identifying numbers.  If it were not the case you could dial a number and end up at one or another phone with that number, if not get both or more people on the phone. The same would be true online. It would cause unpredictability and the entire online system would be unreliable. Consequently, it would not be used by anyone.

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Domain Names

Domain names are the web addresses we enter into browsers that deliver us to the websites we intend to visit. If you wish to have your own domain name you will need to be sure and register it with a registry. The “Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) keeps an up-to-date directory of accredited registrars from which you could register your domain name. Typically you register a domain for a specific time period: a year up to ten years. You are also allowed to renew your domain name on an ongoing basis. Simply put your domain name belongs to you for as long as you keep it registered, but you must keep up on its registration because if it lapses anyone can register it for their own use.

When it comes to registering your domain name keep in mind that the act of registering your name with a registration company doesn’t ensure that the name is yours. If your domain name conflicts with a name owned in a different venue there are intellectual property rights that apply to domain names. An example would be the domain name: “macdonalds.com.” You aren’t allowed to use a branded name like that even if you last name happens to be MacDonald and you want to use it. A real life example is one regarding Don Henley of the Eagles. There was a man with the same name who decided he would like a domain name using his name. He registered his website with the domain name: “don-henley.com.” He set up his own website with this domain name and went so far as to explain on his website that he was not the same individual from the rock group. The Don Henley from the Eagles, however, had an issue with his website. He had the registered domain name of “donhenley.com.” In the “whois report” it is noted that the famous Don Henley had his site registered in 1999. It had previously been owned by a cybersquatter (someone who registers names and holds on to them so they can sell them later for profit). His non-famous counterpart registered his domain name in 1997. At this point there has not been a resolution to this case.

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Godaddy Coupon Codes – How to Use Them Properly

“godaddy coupon codes” is one of the popular search term for domain traders and if you are a domain trader then you should know what exactly they are and how to use them properly. If you search in google, you can see that a lot of websites are providing godaddy promo codes and there are hundreds of coupon codes out there but which one to use and which one will give you maximum discount? Here in this article you can get some useful tips.

Godaddy Coupon codes can be used to registering a new domain or renewing a domain and there are different godaddy  coupon codes for them so if you found a code for registering a domain name then that code may not work for renewing so you need to check if that works for both or not.

Most people go for .com , .net  ,.biz and.org and using discount codes one can register or renew them for as low as $7.49. So if you think that you are paying more than this then you need to find the code which will give you domain for $7.49.But this code does not include private registration .Godaddy charges $9.99 for private registration but if you use proper coupon code then you can get a domain with private registration for as low as $8.11.But those coupons are very rare. However if you buy 5 or more domains, you can get private registration for free. but what if you don’t want to buy 5 domains? It’s easy. Godaddy charges $1.99 for.info domains so if you want to buy 3 domains then buy 2 more.info domains and you will get free private registration for all of them. Later you can sell or throw those.info domains.

If you want to register / renew few domains and have different tlds then you should not renew /register them at a time. You cannot get maximum discount if you purchase them in one single order. Godaddy Promo codes are specific for certain tlds. So if you use a godaddy promo code for.com domain, you will not get discount for.net domains. So you just need to group them as per their tld and purchase them. This way you can get maximum discount.

Almost every month a special godaddy  coupon code is announced and you can register or transfer a domain name for $1.18 or $1.67.But you cannot use them for renew or multiyear registration. You also need a credit card to use these coupons and only one domain is limited per account.

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Domain Names and IP Addresses

The characters that make up your domain can be any combination of numbers, letters and hyphens as long as the first and last characters are not a hyphen. To simplify their function domain names are not case-sensitive, meaning that a domain name like “washingtontimes.com” can also be “WashingtonTimes.com” and it makes no difference you would be delivered to the same website.

The domain name is what you use to type into the address bar and identifies your website address, but it is not solely how the website is found and delivered within your browser. In addition to the domain name you use there is also a website number called the “Internet Protocol” (IP) number. This is the number used by the computers and servers to deliver the website to your computer. The number is directly connected to your domain name. The domain name and the IP address work similarly to people who use letters to remember their phone number. For example, you may remember a number by thinking, “1-800-CALL ATT” but the actual number that puts the call through is: 1-800-2255-288. This is the same sort of connection that exists between the domain name and the IP number of a website. Every computer that links up with the Internet is assigned its own unique number or IP address.  It is literally your computer’s Internet address. There are two types of IP address that get assigned: “dynamic” addresses which are temporary and “static” addresses which are permanent. In the case of home computers the IP address is going to be dynamic, but for servers and other types of computers a static IP address is used. They are a numerical sequence that resembles: 12.129.147.10, and if you were to cut and paste that number into a web browser you would be delivered to the “Washington Post.”

When you enter a domain name into your browser the computer conducts a search which provides it with the correct IP address and sends you to the site you intended to visit.

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