(Getty Images)
Many of us spend a significant part of our work and personal lives online. That trend is not likely to change, but we should take a few precautions to ensure we are protecting ourselves. One important step is making sure we are accessing safe websites.
During your web browsing, depending on which browser you are using, you may have noticed a lock symbol next to the web address in the URL bar. Google Chrome now allows the user to click on a site information symbol, which then shows a secure connection (a padlock) and other information about cookies, settings and the page you are on. We may also see warnings that a particular site is "Not Secure" and have to bypass the warning to get to an unsecured site. Often, we ignore these little words and symbols or bypass alerts and go back to watching our favorite cat video or reading a depressing article about the failures of our local sports teams. But what does the little lock stand for? What does it mean when we see the words "Not Secure?" Why on earth should you care?
These little words and symbols indicate whether a website is secured by Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secured, or HTTPS. HTTPS is a type of encryption commonly used to secure websites. In today's digital world, information is constantly transmitted from your web browser as you access the internet. Because of this, the security of data as it is "in transit," or data as it moves from one place to another, is critical. Enter HTTPS, an essential type of encryption for data as it moves across the web.
So, what is HTTPS?
HTTPS ensures that users' Internet experience is secure as they browse the web. It achieves this by scrambling data into an unreadable jumble of letters and numbers as it is transmitted from one computer to another and by making sure the website your computer is interacting with is what it says it is before allowing information to be sent back and forth.
What benefits does HTTPS provide to consumers?
HTTPS provides several benefits to users when they interact with a website, such as:
1. Protection from bad actors: When a user is browsing a site, HTTPS limits hackers' ability to track their activities or steal their information.
2. Data integrity: When a user's web browser communicates with a website, such as when entering data into an online form, HTTPS makes that information less susceptible to data altering or corruption.
3. Authentication: HTTPS ensures that users are communicating with the website they want to visit.
So why is this important?
In recent years, data security researchers, tech companies, and other organizations have pushed for the entire web to become secured through HTTPS. As a result, much of the internet is now encrypted with this technology. This is because as consumers convey more and more of their information online, protecting their data is essential. Moreover, as technology develops, bad actors who are experts in hacking get better at computer crime, making it more important that users have a secure Internet experience.
Check out more resources for staying safe online at our BBB Secure hub.
Can you spot a scam? Our Spot a Scam hub teaches you how to identify a fake website and more.
