Secure your Site with HTTPS & SSL Certificate If the Internet is like a boundless forest, then websites are like cabins. Cozy, fun to visit, but surrounded by snarling wolves. Securing your website against people who would prey on your data, your visitors, and your customers is incredibly important. And until there’s a way to upload a pair of perimeterpatrolling Dobermans or install the virtual equivalent of motion-activated laser turrets, the only line of defense are two inexpensive acronyms: HTTPS and SSL.
What are HTTPS and SSL? HTTP is “hypertext transfer protocol” — how messages are formatted and transmitted on the World Wide Web. The S in HTTPS stands for secure. When a website is using HTTPS, your communication with that website is being encrypted using SSL — the “Secure Sockets Layer” protocol. This means that the conversation you are having with the website can’t be eavesdropped on.
Why is HTTPS important? It’s good for users. When a website isn’t secure (using HTTP, not HTTPS) your connection with that website is vulnerable. Data being sent back and forth is unencrypted, and can be easily intercepted. You want a secure connection to a website when you are making online purchases, to protect credit card details, but also on any website that requires users to log in, in order to protect their login and personal details. It’s good for you. If you’re a website owner, using HTTPS doesn’t just protect your users’ privacy, but yours as well. Some Internet service providers and Wi-Fi providers have been https://nerder.com/