Forward Secret HTTPS

Definition - What does Forward Secret HTTPS mean?

Forward Secret HTTPS is a concept in Internet security and encryption by which an encrypted message can be secured from being compromised in the future.

Forward Secret HTTPS is implemented using a property known as Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS); an authentication property that works on the concept of key agreement, where both the sender and receiver agree upon different keys frequently.

Techopedia explains Forward Secret HTTPS

Forward Secret HTTPS is implemented in public key cryptography security architectures that rely on the combination of short and long term public and private keys to encrypt and decrypt data.

To simplify, the idea behind forward secrecy is that if a key is compromised, it will only affect data protected by that particular key. Because the keys change, even if one were to be cracked in the future, the hacker would not be able to access messages from the past.

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