Tools i require to demonstrate that data being sent over https is encrypted

Question

I want to demonstrate using a simple html form and a php script that data posted to a server is encrypted.I am using the xampp and i would like to use the default certificate that comes with the xampp package.

I have wireshark installed and i also have firebug installed for future tests because i also want to see if GET requests are encrypted.

What tools do i need for my task?.

Answer 1

Wireshark is the only tool you need.

Simply configure a filter to capture the packets being sent on port 443 to your web server and then drill down through them.

Post the form without HTTPS first (port 80), then afterwards compare the two.

Note you can't prove from PHP the data was sent encrypted, as this is handled by the web server independently of PHP.