As we’ve written about here and here already – If you’re using Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome or any of the popular web browsers to surf the net and visit websites, chances are, you have probably come across a website that has been flagged as ‘unsecured’. It could be a warning pop-up on Firefox or a not secure icon and text on Chrome’s address bar. Find out what these things mean, why should you care about your website’s security and why you need an HTTPS website in 2018.
How does HTTPS work?
Websites that have log-ins, contact forms or fields that require personal information such as credit or debit card details need some form of security measure to keep these information safe from hackers and wrong doers.
The first line of defence against these villains lies in the form of a protocol called Secure Sockets Layer or SSL installed in websites. When you visit a supported site, it will send an SSL certificate to your device to create a special safe and secure connection. Once it has been established, all information will be encrypted.
3 Major benefits of having a secure website?
1. You And Your Visitors Are More Secure
An SSL certificate encrypts your website visitors information whenever they log in or input sensitive information such as bank details, PINs, and the like. To ensure that no one else is privy to all those details, the certificate generates a random key that your website uses to decrypt information sent from your visitors.
The cool thing is, all these technical bits happen in the background. With an SSL certificate installed, there is no need to worry about your website visitors information being leaked into other parts of the internet.
2. Consumers Trust A Safe Website
We now live in a world where online transactions seem to be the norm for most people. According to a survey completed in December 2016, 87% of UK internet users have made at least a single purchase online. This trend is expected to rise as more people are discovering the joys of making online purchases.
People are more likely to make purchases from a safe and secure website. You’ll miss out on the fun if your website is flagged as unsecured. Google, through their browser, has supported using HTTPS and has rolled out versions of its browser that indicate whether a site is secured or not. Mozilla Firefox has also implemented a similar feature.
3. SEO
Google and other search engines love secure websites as it protects their own users from being redirected to fraudulent and unsecured sites. If your website is secure, you might boost your rankings against similar websites who are left unsecured. The company has confirmed that HTTPS is an important factor in its rankings.
We’ll help you become secure
At GorillaHub, we are committed to helping everyone use the internet more securely and will be launching a low-cost website conversion service for small business websites in January. If you have any questions on SSL certificates / HTTPS or how you can get your site converted, please get in touch
