For almost two years, Google has given https websites a “ranking boost” in search requests.
As of July 2018, Google will roll out Chrome 68 and go a step further to encourage webmasters to switch to https by marking all http websites as “non-secure". This will apply to all sites that do not display the green padlock in the address bar and will include Google's Incognito mode. Mozilla Firefox could also opt for similar actions.
HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) shows a means of transferring data from a user to a server where the user does not care how that data is transferred. In short, the data transferred is unencrypted and can be intercepted by a third party.
HTTPS (Secure Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) means that a layer of security has been added, in the form of a TLS, to safely transfer data.
TLS (Transport Layer Security) is a cryptographic protocol previously referred to a SSL (Secure Socket Layer). During the initial contact between user and server, the SSL certificate is verified and a “handshake” is made. The handshake is an agreement as to what kind of encryption will be used to encrypt and decipher data shared between the two parties.
A SSL certificate is issued by a trusted issuing authority (CA). The CA checks references to assure the online identity and encrpts the data. Any request to enter credit card information or passwords requires a SSL certificate.
Google's aim is to make the internet more secure, and users will no longer need a notification to say if a site is not safe to navigate.
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Sources:
wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_Layer_Security
trisinformatique.com
Photo: Pixabay
