Which statement about HTTPS connections is NOT a valid characteristic?

• A. Data is encrypted
• B. Certificate is used to verify identity
• C. It guarantees malware-free content
• D. The connection is authenticated

Answer: (C)

HTTPS secures data in transit by encrypting it and uses a TLS certificate to verify the server’s identity, which means the connection is authenticated and protected from eavesdropping or tampering on the network. The important point is that encryption and identity verification focus on the channel and who is at the other end, not on the content itself. The statement about malware-free content isn’t a property of HTTPS because the protocol doesn’t inspect or certify the safety of what is delivered. A site can serve legitimate bytes over HTTPS yet still host or deliver malware if the content is malicious or the server is compromised. To stay safe, you’d rely on secure software practices, malware scanning, and trusted sources in addition to HTTPS.