We are all familiar with HTTP, the thing we put in front of web addresses so they can be found on the big WWW – Word Wide Web. In case you didn’t know, HTTP actually stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol, which defines how messages are formatted between the web server and your computers web browser.
The old HTTP standard, well it might be considered that now, is an adaption of HTTP that is designed to encrypt all data using Transport Layer Security (TLS). The advantages are that no one, such as your ISP or hackers, can inject any malicious code into the data stream. Also, if privacy is a concern, no one can see what individual pages you visit on a website. Initially the need for HTTPS was seen as only something that you needed to do if you were connected to your bank or something else with equally sensitive Information.
Now, Google has announced that starting with Chrome version 68, it will start marking all HTTP sites as ‘Not Secure’. This move should prompt website owners to upgrade to HTTPS as I’m sure the naming and shaming of non-HTTPS website will also continue onto Google search pages. Increasingly web traffic has already been switching over to HTTPS, mostly due to free SSL/TLS certificates from people like Let’s Encrypt, and the expanded support of new browser APIs that will only work on secure pages.
Mozilla, one of the main competitors to Chrome, is currently testing a similar feature, but here non-HTTPS pages will have a strike through them on the lock symbol. You will be happy to know that IoT Gadgets has been an HTTPS site ever since it first went online on 1 Jan 2018.
Currently, Chrome 68 is expected to be released in July 2018.
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