Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, otherwise known as HTTPS, is a secure extension of HTTP and is used for your web browser to securely communicate with websites you visit. It’s essential for any website as it ensures the safety and security of you and the data that is communicated between you and the website.
How HTTPS protects you
HTTPS keeps your data secure by encrypting it as it transfers from your browser to the website’s server. This makes it so no outside person can read your data, such as hackers or your ISP.
It’s becoming more and more common now that websites are transitioning from HTTP to HTTPS. This is because HTTP isn’t secure, as it’s not encrypted, and does not guarantee you’re browsing a safe website.
It’s common for hackers to create imposter websites that look like websites you browse and can steal data you input (credit card details, passwords, addresses) because the data is not encrypted and can be easily obtained by the hacker.
How to Check if You’re Connected to a Website Using HTTPS
If you’re unsure how to check if you’re connected to a website running hyppertexts, it’s extremely simple.
Simply look at the URL in the search bar, and check for the ‘https://’ before the website URL:
Another easy way to check is to look for the lock icon next to the URL:
If you can’t find either, and you’re browsing a website that requires details such as credit card info or passwords, refrain from entering any info and close the page immediately. Websites for services like banks will always use hypertext protocol, any website like such (and in general) without HTTPS is malicious and should be avoided.
How do I get my website to start using HTTPS?
The process for implementing hypertext Transfer Protocol Security can be confusing for some, so here’s a simple step-by-step guide for the process from GoDaddy.
Just remember, you’ll need a security certificate to enable it for your website, this is to verify that your web address belongs to yourself or your organisation. Once added to your website, make sure the certificate is always up to date, and that the certificate is registered to the correct website name.
With how much more secure HTTPS is than HTTP, there’s no reason why websites shouldn’t be using it in this day and age. You want your users to have a secure connection so that they can confidently communicate with your website, and not having HTTPS loses that trust with the user.
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