Security has always been a core principle for Google. To make web a more secure place, the search engine giant has decided to mark all the HTTP sites as “not secure” on Google Chrome, starting from July 2018.
The browser currently marks all non-HTTPS sites with a neutral information icon that displays a message stating “Connection isn’t secure” when clicked.
But now the latest browser versions (starting with version 68) will warn users with an extra notification – Not Secure – in the address bar.
Meanwhile, sites running on HTTPS will stop displaying the “Secure” visual cues from September onwards.
Will this affect the browsing experience for Chrome users?
Short answer: No!
Users can still browse HTTP sites just like they did before. The motto is to let the users know that their personal information is at higher risk while browsing the non-encrypted websites.
While this blow may seem little too harsh, it isn’t the first one from Google on non-HTTPS websites. Chrome has been down-ranking unencrypted sites since 2015 and started using a similar warning methodology for unencrypted password or credit card form fields in 2016.
The new initiative, as per Google’s official announcement, was mostly brought on by increased HTTPS adoption as 81% of the top 100 websites have switched to secure encryption.
How will this affect websites that don’t employ HTTPS?
Absolutely.
Websites that haven’t defaulted HTTPS will potentially see a dip in their web traffic and the “Not Secure” sign can affect the brand value as well as can lower down the trust factor.
What to do if you are yet to secure your website with HTTPS?
This new move by Google has made HTTPS the new standard of web security for users as well as web developers.
If you’re still running your website on the HTTP encryption, here are a few ways to switch to HTTPS.
1. Implement HTTPS yourself
Automated services such as Let’s Encrypt, Google Lighthouse and Google’s SSL for Google App Engine makes it easy for websites to implement HTTPS encryption on the websites.
2. Contact an experienced team of web developers
If the technical stuff isn’t the cup of your tea, you can contact a web development service to make your website compliant with Chrome’s new change.
The Bottom Line
No technology in this world can be marked as one hundred percent hack proof. However, switching to HTTPS can secure the web a little more for everyone.
Feel free to get in touch with 42Works in the comments below if you have any questions or need help securing your website.
