What is an SSL & why do I need one

An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is a digital certificate that authenticates the identity of a website and encrypts information sent to the server using SSL technology. Encryption is the process of scrambling data into an undecipherable format that can only be returned to a readable format with the proper decryption key.

 

OK well are you any the wiser?

I don’t expect you are because they don’t try and make it easy for the general public to follow. Basically the certificate is not really a certificate, it’s a digital file of data that contains a special key. This key is locked to your organization’s details and it is granted by a Certificate Authority or CA to allow secure transfer of data to and from the website. It’s like an electronic passport that establishes an online entity’s credentials when doing business on the Web. When an Internet user attempts to send confidential information to a Web server, the user’s browser accesses the server’s digital certificate and establishes a secure connection.

How SSL certificates used to be on the web

It was just associated with online stores so that card details, transactions etc. were safer and the rule was that it the site didn’t have https:// at the front of the web address and was just http:// then don’t give any credit card details because it can be intercepted. The issue here is that when it fully comes into force you’ll go to a website and you’ll get a warning coming up saying that this site isn’t safe!

What does serva think of this

Yes the mobile compatibility is a real plus and honestly does make a real difference on a mobile device, even though it makes our job harder, we think it’s well worth it. To be honest we’re a little on the fence with SSL certificates, it just seems a way of making more money for Google in a round about way, and they make enough as it is. The problem is that they have the power to enforce this and they can push your website down in the search engine results so that you are forced to get one just to compete against your competition.

The Real problem is apparently Google will be putting the message above into the weblink to your website and will potential customers be pushed away thinking the site is unsafe, although it’s just as it used to be before all this SSL was brought up!

It may be something we’ll all have to do whether we like it or not.

In their defense Google has this to say

Google says that the percentage of HTTPS page loads on Chrome is growing on all platforms. HTTPS traffic on Android is now 64% compared with 42% a year ago. HTTPS protected traffic on Chrome for Mac and ChromeOS is 75%, up from 60% and 67% respectively a year ago. Google also notes that 71 of the 100 most popular sites have now enabled HTTPS by default, up from 37 sites a year ago. According to Google’s HTTPS encryption transparency report, 73% of pages loaded in the US using HTTPS in Chrome on Windows, up from 59% a year ago.

What serva can do to help

Honestly we can’t do much about the way Google want to shape the internet. As of right now, May 2018, all we can do is give our clients the facts, so that they’re at least informed, plus we’re here to help change over to SSL if they want to move over.