Google's Chrome Browser to Label All Unsecured Websites with Text Inputs as "Not Secure" Starting in October
In the digital age, ensuring online security is paramount. One of the key players in this mission is Google, which has been actively promoting the adoption of secure protocols to protect user data. This article will focus on Google's efforts to mark insecure protocols as "Not Secure" and the implications for website owners.
Google's campaign began with the marking of HTTP pages as "Not Secure" if they contain password or credit card fields, a move that was initiated with the release of Chrome 62 in October 2017. This was followed by the labelling of FTP sites as "Not Secure" starting from the release of Chrome 63 in December 2017.
The "Not Secure" label serves a threefold purpose. Firstly, it enhances user awareness, informing them that the site they are visiting does not use secure communication protocols. Secondly, it promotes security best practices by discouraging the use of insecure protocols, encouraging website owners to adopt more secure options like HTTPS. Lastly, it could have SEO implications, as Google's search rankings have favoured HTTPS sites over HTTP sites.
For website owners, the implications of such a label are significant. They could potentially experience drops in user trust and search rankings, as well as increased vulnerabilities to data interception and other security risks. Shifting to secure protocols like HTTPS (or SFTP for file transfers) is essential for maintaining a secure and trustworthy online presence.
It is important to note that the Extended Validation Secure Sockets Layer (EV SSL), a type of SSL certificate that provides a higher level of assurance about the identity of the website, displays the padlock icon, "https" prefix, and the green address bar in the URL to indicate a high level of security.
This crackdown on insecure protocols is part of Google's ongoing efforts to enhance security and promote the adoption of HTTPS. As the digital landscape evolves, it is crucial for all online entities to prioritise security to safeguard user data and maintain trust.
Technology in the data-and-cloud-computing sphere plays a crucial role in Google's ongoing efforts to enhance online security. Google's campaign against insecure protocols, like HTTP and FTP, is driven by technology, aimed at promoting HTTPS and SFTP for secure communication and file transfers respectively.
