Google’s always trying to improve users’ online experience and part of its quest is to boost online security and privacy.
Google’s Chrome browser already alerts users when they’re visiting websites which have the insecure HTTP protocol rather than the secure HTTPS protocol, inserting an encircled exclamation mark in the Chrome address bar for HTTP sites, as shown in the example on this page.
But Google will step up HTTP alerts in Chrome by also adding the words “Not secure” to the address bar warning, starting from October 2017.
The good news is that there will be very few “Not secure” warnings on GOOP Digital clients’ websites. We’ve already started implementing HTTPS across all clients’ websites as part of our standard maintenance and hosting agreement. Where technically possible, all our sites will be on the secure HTTPS protocol well and truly before the October deadline. It’s all part of the GOOP Digital service.
In case you’re wondering, the HTTPS protocol adds encryption to the communication between your browser and the website it’s visiting. Think of the “S” as standing for security, crucial for online transactions.
Google’s demonstration of the new Chrome HTTP alert appears below.
