Studyledge

The Internet and the World Wide Web: Question 2

Syllabus 5.1

Structured 5 marks

A community library runs an online catalogue. Members use the exact web address "https://www.oakfield-library.org/catalogue/fiction.html" to browse the fiction section.

(a) Identify the part of this address that shows: (i) the protocol used to transfer the page [1] (ii) the domain name of the website [1] (iii) the name of the specific page being requested [1]

(b) State what it means for this address to use "https" rather than "http". [1]

(c) The library is about to add a page where members enter a password to renew their loans online. Explain why this new page should also use "https". [1]

Show worked solution Hide worked solution

Worked solution

Part (a): Reading the parts of the URL

A URL is a text-based address for a web page. It can contain a protocol, a domain name and a web page/file name. Splitting “https://www.oakfield-library.org/catalogue/fiction.html” up:

  • (i) Protocol: https, the part before the :// that states the protocol used to transfer the page.
  • (ii) Domain name: www.oakfield-library.org, the part that identifies the website itself, sitting between https:// and the first single /.
  • (iii) Page/file name: fiction.html, the actual file being requested, found after the folder path /catalogue/.

Part (b): What “https” means here

The “s” in “https” stands for “secure”. Using https rather than http means that any data travelling between the member’s browser and the library’s web server for this page is encrypted: put into a coded form before it is sent, so that it is far harder for anyone else to read if they intercept it along the way. With plain http, the same data would be sent as ordinary, readable text.

Part (c): Why the new loan-renewal page needs https too

Once members can log in with a password on this page, that password has to travel from their browser to the library’s web server every time they log in. If this page used http, the password would be transmitted as plain text, so anyone intercepting the connection (for example, on a shared network) could read it directly. Using https instead encrypts the password in transit, so it cannot be read even if it is intercepted, protecting the member’s login details.

Final answers

  • (a) (i) https (ii) www.oakfield-library.org (iii) fiction.html
  • (b) Data between the browser and web server is encrypted, not sent as plain text.
  • (c) https is needed to encrypt the member’s password in transit, protecting it from being read if intercepted.