Security of httpS:// on an Open Unsecure Wifi

[Luba]

If I am on a Starbucks or an airport open unsecure Wifi how safe is it to do banking on a bank site that you log on via https://?

With Gmail you login via https:// and all subsequent sites are also https, but on Yahoo only the "front page" or login page is https. Does that mean someone could read my Yahoo emails or is it only necessary that the "front door" is secure and once you enter the site ("house") it's not necessary to have the subsequent pages be https?

 

[miles01110]

https encryption on a login page will only encrypt the login page and any information you use to log in to that site. In theory since one would need the login credentials to read your email, this is "enough."

However, passing login credentials in an unprotected wifi network is generally a bad practice in the first place, https or not.

 

[Koronis]

However, passing login credentials in an unprotected wifi network is generally a bad practice in the first place, https or not.

yes, but realistically, there is no way for someone to get your credentials from a network, open or not, if you are using HTTPS.

Without getting into too much detail, the security process uses key pairs to encrypt traffic, meaning no one other than the intended recipient can read the data that is passed between you and the server.