In July 2018, Google will be releasing their latest version of the Chrome browser. At that time, all websites that do not show “https” will be obviously marked as “Not secure”. This will be noticeable to anyone who visits your website on Chrome, and you can bet that other major browsers will be following suit. (Note that if your site does not have an SSL now, it’s already being shown as not secure, but in July this will be much more prominent.)
Even if you have a “simple” site that doesn’t collect any sensitive information or doesn’t sell anything, your site will still be shown as “Not secure” starting in July. If you have a website for your business, this can look like your company is out of date or even unconcerned about your visitors’ data security.
Here’s how it will look if you don’t have an SSL Certificate, starting in July:
Here is what you need:
What is an SSL Certificate?
You can think of an SSL certificate as an electronic passport. It establishes an encrypted link between a web server and a browser and ensures that all data passed between the web server and browsers remain private and integral.
If you don’t have the SSL certificate, a secure connection cannot be established.
A site that has an SSL will show “https” as part of your website address. A site that does not will only show “http“.
If you’re still unsure if your site is secure or not, contact us or enter in your website’s address on this site: https://www.whynopadlock.com.
What should we do?
You need to purchase a SSL Certificate from a hosting provider. It’s easiest to purchase one from the company that hosts your website. After purchase, you also need to apply the certificate to your website. This process can be tricky and not usually recommended for people who are not web developers.
If you have any questions about SSL certificates or need help with purchasing and installing one, contact us. We would be glad to help you avoid the Google flag of “Not secure”.