HTTP and HTTPS protocols in Intro to Computing - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

🧠 Conceptual

intermediate

Understanding the difference between HTTP and HTTPS

Which statement best explains the main difference between HTTP and HTTPS?

A HTTP requires a digital certificate, but HTTPS does not.

B HTTP uses port 443 by default, while HTTPS uses port 80.

C HTTPS encrypts data sent between the browser and server, while HTTP does not.

D HTTPS is slower because it sends data in plain text.

💡 Hint

Think about security and data protection when browsing websites.

HTTPS adds encryption to HTTP, protecting data from being read by others during transmission.

❓ trace

intermediate

Tracing a simple HTTP request flow

Consider a user typing a website address starting with http://. Which sequence correctly shows the flow of the request?

A Browser sends request → Browser displays page → Server responds with webpage

B Browser sends request → Server responds with webpage → Browser displays page

C Server sends request → Browser responds with webpage → Server displays page

D Server sends request → Server displays page → Browser responds with webpage

💡 Hint

Who initiates the request and who responds?

The browser initiates the request to the server, which then sends back the webpage data for the browser to display.

❓ identification

advanced

Identifying HTTPS security features

Which feature is NOT part of HTTPS security?

A Automatic blocking of all pop-up ads

B Authentication of the website using certificates

C Data encryption to prevent eavesdropping

D Data integrity to prevent tampering

💡 Hint

Think about what HTTPS protects against.

HTTPS does not block pop-up ads; it focuses on encryption, authentication, and data integrity.

❓ Comparison

advanced

Comparing ports used by HTTP and HTTPS

Which option correctly matches the default ports used by HTTP and HTTPS?

A HTTP uses port 80, HTTPS uses port 443

B HTTP uses port 443, HTTPS uses port 80

C Both HTTP and HTTPS use port 8080

D HTTP uses port 21, HTTPS uses port 22

💡 Hint

Remember common web ports for secure and non-secure traffic.

HTTP typically uses port 80, while HTTPS uses port 443 for secure communication.

🚀 Application

expert

Determining the result of mixed content on a webpage

A webpage is loaded over HTTPS but includes an image loaded over HTTP. What is the likely outcome in modern browsers?

A The browser automatically converts the HTTP image to HTTPS.

B The entire webpage fails to load.

C The HTTP image loads without any warnings or blocks.

D The browser blocks the HTTP image to keep the page secure.

💡 Hint

Think about how browsers handle mixed secure and non-secure content.

Modern browsers block non-secure content like HTTP images on HTTPS pages to protect users from security risks.