Google Chrome Will Mark Non-HTTPS Websites as Insecure

Precursor to Subject Matter

Starting from July 2018, Google Chrome will mark non-HTTPS websites as insecure. HTTP means Hypertext Transfer Protocol. The “S” at the end of “HTTPS” means “secure”. A website visitor will be confident that the visited website is the website that he or she intended to visit, meaning that there are no hackers involved. Additionally, there will be a speed update for the browser. Furthermore, Chrome 68 will finally be released to replace the previous Chrome 64. In other words, July of the year 2018 will be a big month for Google.

Recent Attempts by Google Regarding Subject Matter

Google has been trying to motivate webmasters to switch to secure websites for many years now. One of the things that Google did was boosting search rankings should a webmaster make the switch, which was actually a success. Some of the numbers included a 68% increase in Google Chrome traffic protection for Android and Windows and 78% for Chrome OS and Mac. Also, approximately 80 out of the 100 top websites use HTTPS by default. The numbers speak for the success that Google experienced.

The Several Ways to Test for HTTPS

There are ways through which you can test your website for HTTPS. Those included passing the SSL connection test along with a mixed content test. Then, you could focus on other aspects of your website, such as speed and software updates that ensure the latest advancements in security technology.

The Difficulties of HTTPS Migration

Although the benefits of HTTPS migration are clear, making the switch is quite a feat. An SSL certificate is needed along with the requirement that the website does not use HTTP in its code. If you failed the SSL connection test, you can either install the SSL certificate yourself or have a webmaster help you out in this endeavor. You do not need to pay anything nowadays. Most smart hosting companies will encrypt for you. You just need to enable the appropriate option in cPanel, and you will receive an automated SSL certificate update every 3 months. Other hosting companies might need a manual SSL certificate installation. That would involve a manual update every 3 months as well, so you have to stay on top of your game.

Potential Errors While Migrating

There might be cases in which you pass the SSL connection test, but still experience errors. Your SSL certificate installed, but your website is not using it correctly. There are some plugins that could help you with this. However, be sure to back up your website before performing this. There is a caveat if you are using a different content management system or if your website has not experienced an update in the past two or more years. You have to upgrade your website to proceed.

In any case, Chain Reaction can help you move to HTTPS. Spare yourself a headache and have the specialists take care of this for you. Fill out the form below to contact us.