A few weeks ago, Google started a radical campaign encouraging websites to change the HTTP protocol to HTTPS. Right now, the company is notifying owners of the need to switch the protocol.
The warnings are extended in the upcoming Chrome version, which labels HTTP (without “S”) pages as “not secure” for users. So, what is this all about? Here are some answers.
What are protocols?
If you look closely at the address bar, you will see the «http» preceding the domain name. The abbreviation stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol that implements data transmission. In fact, it makes the browser load pages accurately.
What is wrong with HTTP? Is HTTPS really better?
The problem is that HTTP is quite old. The protocol was developed about 20 years ago, when there was no need for data encryption. As a result, it transmits information without any additional protection.It is especially dangerous for websites that accept online payments or work with the users' personal data, e.g. through personal accounts. HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure a.k.a HTTPS solves that problem by using SSL. It is a special encryption tool, which protects from data interception and prevents man-in-the-middle attacks. Why now? Actually, Google and other companies have been promoting HTTPS for a long time. Nevertheless, website owners are not in a hurry to secure their protocols. According to the latest research, the number of sites using HTTPS does not exceed 15% of the world’s web. Meanwhile, the global loss of cybercrime in 2016 accounts for $450 billion worth of damage. My website does not work with any payments. Should I concern? There are reports that Google will forcefully lower rankings of websites with the HTTP protocol. During the recent conference in Luxembourg, the company's representatives stated that they would start doing so from June or July 2017. In the meantime, the latest versions of all popular browsers mark HTTP sites as “insecure”. Clients of "The Loupe" receive security certificates and the encrypted protocol HTTPS as a part of technical maintenance of their websites. If you are interested in getting more information on the issue, contact us!