SSL Certificates: Understanding Why Google Has Made This Requirement for Websites
Do you have a website that does not have an SSL Certificate? If so, then your site will be flagged by Google this year, if it hasn’t already. Online security is a necessity now more than ever and Google decided in 2017 to use this year to make users feel even more secure by flagging a website as unsafe if there is no SSL Certificate in place.
Because of the change, websites that do not have an SSL Certificate will see the URL bar display Not Secure when someone uses their website. So, why should you worry? Well, the everyday user will see this as a red flag. If you do not have an SSL Certificate and your site is listed as not safe, then visitors are going to be less likely to view your site. This means less traffic and lowered revenues.
Do You Need an SSL?
As Chrome version 62 was released, websites that have any form of text input will need to have an SSL Certificate. If your website accepts inputs via contact forms, login panels, search bars, and other formats, then an SSL Certificate is required. This is also a requirement if you have an HTTP:// address.
An SSL will need to be installed to avoid any risk or warnings to your page. If you do not add this quickly, then you are at risk of visitors being warned when they access your site. An SSL Certificate is essential an electronic passport. The SSL portion stands for Secure Sockets Layer and is standard security technology that is used to establish an encrypted link between a browser and a web server.
The link created will ensure that the data that is passed between the browsers and the web server is private and secure. If you do not have this certificate, then a secure connection is unable to be established. Your information is not digitally connected to a cryptographic key.
What an SSL Certificate Provides
When you have an SSL Certificate for your website, it provides a name of the holder, serial number, expiration date, copy of the public key of the certificate holder and a digital signature that issues authority of the certificate.
This certificate is critical for a number of reasons. First, it encrypts sensitive information. Any information that is sent over the internet goes from computer to computer to a destination server. A computer that is between you and the server can see any information such as passwords, credit card info, etc.if the info is not encrypted. With an SSL certificate, the information is unreadable to everyone except the server the info is being sent to.
An SSL Certificate will also protect against cybercriminals. If your website does not have an SSL Certificate, then it can be weak and vulnerable to criminals. Having this protection in place can ensure your website is secure.
Overall, it is important to have this protection in place, for your customers as well as yourself. Before Google decides to flag your site, secure it with an SSL Certificate.