Networking · Protocols
HTTP & HTTPS
The request/response protocol of the web, and its TLS protected form, which now carries most enterprise application traffic.
FoundationalUpdated 2026-09-01
Overview
HTTP/1.1 uses text framing over one connection per request in flight; HTTP/2 multiplexes streams over one TCP connection; HTTP/3 moves to QUIC over UDP, removing head of line blocking at the transport layer.
Because nearly everything now travels over TCP/443, port based network policy has lost much of its meaning. Application identification, hostname based policy and endpoint controls carry that weight instead.
Security considerations
- Enforce HSTS, secure cookies and modern TLS on published applications.
- Inspect or at least log egress by hostname; 'allow 443 outbound' is effectively 'allow anything'.