Which network protocol is commonly used for secure communication over the internet?

HTTPS, or Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, is widely recognized as a protocol for secure communication over the internet. It adds a layer of encryption to standard HTTP, ensuring that the data exchanged between a client (like a web browser) and a server is secure from eavesdropping, tampering, or man-in-the-middle attacks. This is achieved through the integration of Transport Layer Security (TLS) or its predecessor, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), which encrypts the data in transit.

When users access a website and see "https://" in the URL, it indicates that all communications with the site will be securely encrypted, which is particularly important when handling sensitive data such as login credentials, personal information, and payment details.

Other protocols mentioned, such as FTP (File Transfer Protocol) and HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), do not implement encryption by default, which means that data transferred using those protocols can be intercepted and read in plain text. The IP (Internet Protocol) is more focused on addressing and routing data packets across networks rather than securing the communications. Thus, HTTPS stands out as the standard for secure web communication.