Today’s Internet age demands a certain level of security. Not only does Google recommend securing your website using HTTPS in order to perform well in Google searches, but it also helps you establish your brand/company as a credible entity and ensures that your web presence is professional. Securing your website with HTTPS and SSL is now included in the list of best practices that organisations and businesses should adhere to. Let’s break it down a bit so you can clearly see the value of securing your website.
What is SSL
It is short for Secure Sockets Locker which is a technology that helps in preventing data from being stolen. SSL enables encryption between website servers and browsers.
That way, even if the data is intercepted by a hacker, let’s say, they won’t be able to read it. This becomes very important when private data such as credit card numbers, social security numbers and login credentials are being transmitted.
Acquiring an SSL Certificate
So how do you get an SSL certificate for your website, It’s a bit simple really. All you need to do is purchase a certificate from the hosting service of your website. After acquiring the certificate, all you need to do is set it up on your website. Of course, the setup depends on what type of platform you used to develop your website. You’d have to talk to your web developer about that.
By adding an SSL certificate to your website, you can also secure your website using HTTPS. It should be noted that just because you’ve secured an SSL certificate, it doesn’t automatically allow your website to use HTTPS.
You have to force your website to use HTTPS on all pages by setting up the proper server configuration. This may be as simple as using a plugin, such as is with WordPress.
What is HTTPS
It’s a secure protocol used by the World Wide Web to format messages when being transmitted. HTTPS secures your data by checking if the security certificate was issued by a legit certificate authority. It’s like the company that issued the security certificate is vouching that the page is legit. HTTPS allows your page to be transmitted to the user without allowing anyone to eavesdrop on the data being transmitted.
If you have noticed by now, especially if you are using Google Chrome as your browser, unsecured websites are being shamed out of existence. You will often see a message that says “Your connection to this site is not secure” when you are visiting an unsecured website. This is proof that Google and other browser developers have made secured sites the gold standard.
If you want some help, talk with us at RD.