https and website security

Our lives have become heavily dominated by the Internet. When was the last time you visited a store to make a payment? Most transactions can be completed online from the comfort of your home ranging from purchasing electricity to paying accounts and even ordering groceries.

Because of the nature of the transactions that we complete on a daily basis, businesses need to ensure that the information of their clients remains safe and secure. The first step to achieving this level of security is upgrading your website to HTTPS.

Website security is becoming more and more important by the day. It’s important to do everything in your power to keep your website and users safe.

What is HTTPS?

HTTPS, or Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, is the secure version of HTTP. Originally, HTTP was the primary protocol in place to send data between web browsers, like Chrome and a website.

When data is sent using HTTP, the information is separated into data packets which can be easily traced, especially over unsecure mediums like public WiFi, making your private information vulnerable to interception by third parties or hackers.

All communications that occur between a web browser and a website using HTTP occur in plain text. This means that the information can be openly read without any decryption.

This is where HTTPS comes into play: websites with SSL certificates installed on their servers keeps user data secure and prevents attackers from accessing that private information. This is done by means of encryption via a public-private key.

The SSL encryption contains the website’s public key. Any device attempting to communicate with the server will attempt to obtain this key to verify the server’s identity. Meanwhile, the private key is kept secret.

When data is transferred, the information is encrypted with the public key and can only be decrypted with the private key and vice versa.

Why Convert to HTTPS?

More than 50% of the website in the world have not yet transferred to HTTPS. With the amount and nature of the transactions been completed online daily, it is highly recommended to ensure maximum security for both users and your website.

Website Integrity

HTTPS protects the integrity of the communication between a website and the user. By using HTTPS, the user knows that their data will not be at risk of interception during any transactions completed. Web browsers like Chrome now inform users when a website is unsecure – this can be bad for business as users will not want to interact with an unsecure platform.

Privacy

When a website is using HTTPS it is not only credit card details, passwords or personal information that will be secure but also your movements. Unsecure websites do not protect the search footprints of the user leaving third parties open to “snooping” your surfing habits.

Search Engine Optimisation

Search engines have now begun using HTTPS as a part of their ranking strategies. Websites that are still using HTTP are ranked lower than those with SSL certificates in place. An easy way to boost your SEO ranking is to make the secure move to HTTPS.

Website Security

Website security is important to allow secure browsing for visitors and to prevent exploitation by hackers as well as the implications thereof including reputation loss, poor SERP rankings and financial loss.

Need help making the move from HTTP to HTTPS? Get in touch with our website development team to resolve your website security matters.