https vs http

[greyowl]

I use Avast Free and Windows Firewall on a XP laptop and use Dialup internet.  Since my internet connection is slow, I am trying to consider things that will make it operate better.
I use web emal with Yahoo, Gmail, and Yandex.  There is a choice of a secure connection https or just the regular http connection.  I am wonder if one would be faster than the other and whether the security is much of an issue when I am using the computer at home.
Thank you for the help.

[DavidR]

I rather doubt you see any appreciable difference in speed with either http or https.

Whilst https is secure encrypted, so the traffic must be encrypted and decrypted, this has an overhead, but that overhead happens on the local system or server before or after sending/receipt once encrypted there really shouldn't be any difference in transmission speed.

The problem with using https is that avast's web shield can't monitor that traffic so you lose a bit of security. That said you 'may' gain a little as the web shield isn't scanning it, but that again would barely be noticeable due to being on dial-up (the web shield isn't going to be snowed under by slow dial-up).

[greyowl]

Thank you so much for the explanation.
If I use https and the webshield is not monitoring the traffic, would I be vulnerable to viruses from email such as attachments?

[Pondus]

yahoo protect all mail accounts with Norton
Gmail use Authentium and McAfee
yandex i do not know

any attachments downloaded will also be scanned when you access / open / run ............
the file shiled is monitoring every move when computer is on

[DavidR]

Thank you so much for the explanation.
If I use https and the webshield is not monitoring the traffic, would I be vulnerable to viruses from email such as attachments?

You're welcome.

As Pondus said the file system shield should scan these attachments, but never try to run or open them from within the email, always save them to your hard disk first, that gives avast a better shot/s on the scan, first when it is saved and secondly if you subsequently run/open it.

[greyowl]

Thanks again for the further explanation which makes me feel quite secure.

I checked on Yandex webmail and it is all check with Dr. Web antivirus software.