Which protocol is commonly used to ensure secure communication in cloud environments?

The selection of HTTPS as the correct answer highlights the importance of secure communication protocols in cloud environments. HTTPS, which stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, is an extension of HTTP that incorporates SSL/TLS (Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security) to encrypt the data transmitted between a client and a server. This encryption ensures that sensitive information, such as login credentials and personal data, is protected from eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attacks, which are significant concerns in cloud computing where data is often transmitted over the internet.

In cloud environments, where multiple users and services may access and share data, the integrity and confidentiality of that data during transmission are crucial. HTTPS helps to build user trust by providing a secure mechanism for web applications, thereby making it a fundamental standard for secure communication in the cloud.

The other protocols mentioned do not offer the same level of security. HTTP, without the secure layer, transmits data in plain text, making it vulnerable to interception. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is primarily designed for transferring files but lacks inherent security features, making it unsuitable for sensitive data transmission. SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is used for sending emails, but like HTTP, it does not provide encryption by default, necessitating additional security