In a bid to bolster security and usability, Google Chrome browser is producing warning alerts on websites that do not include HTTPS encryption. It’s an essential element of online security which basically flags websites as secure and eliminates the risk factor when you’re shopping online or making payments via the internet.
While it may seem impossible to ignore a mind-boggling deal for some security measure, Google highly recommends checking for HTTPS encryption before making online payments or entering your webmail, cloud storage/services, social media, and online forums details. The search giant also uses it to safeguard your online searches.
HTTPS works like a mini-VPN for individual browser tab. It creates an encrypted tunnel that doesn’t stop people from seeing which website you’re visiting but keeps them from knowing your activity on that particular page. There’s also a plugin which forces websites to use HTTPS even of the website developer hasn’t enabled.
Google To Push For HTTPS Security
Google has been primarily occupied in bringing every user’s attention to HTTPS. Whenever you visit a safe website, the search giant displays a green padlock with the word “secure” on the address bar. Plus, it also mentions the name of the company to which the security certificate was issued.
While HTTPS works as a sign of online safety, it is also worthy to note that Google doesn’t display much info on the address bar when you’re visiting an insecure website, at least not as of now. It only displays a subtle “i” symbol which, when clicked, says “You should not enter any sensitive information on this site (for example, passwords or credit cards) because it could be stolen by attackers”.
That’s something Google is about to change. The company will ramp up these warnings so that developers could finally improve the security on their websites. If an insecure website seeks Credit or Debit card details, the address bar padlock displays “not secure”, but when this change comes into effect, it will mark non-HTTPS websites as “Not secure” as soon as you start typing anything on the page.
Among other things, the browser will also display HTTPS warnings when you’re browsing incognito, assuming that you’re expecting extra privacy. Not to mention, incognito doesn’t prevent your ISPs from knowing your browsing activity, it only keeps your browsing history clean.
In a nutshell, Google’s upgraded security measures will mark all non-HTTPS websites as “Not Secure”, prompting website developers to upgrade their security level.
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