How secure do you feel when you are filling in your financial details online during a transaction? Are you confident that third parties cannot retrieve your passwords and details? These are some of the questions that you should ask yourself when creating your website. This is to ensure that you are creating a secure site for both you and your clients.
Over the past decade, web security has become a more serious issue with more people learning the risks posed when using insecure sites, and the importance of encrypting their website. Encryption is the process of converting your data into an arithmetic algorithm that can only be read by the use of a decryption key. One of the most effective ways of encrypting websites has been by the use of HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure).
What is HTTPS?
HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is a protocol that utilizes unencrypted communication to transfer data between your device and the web server. This means that the connection is open for anyone to intercept the data transfer.
The 'S' in HTTP is what encrypts the data transfer from the website. It means that the connection is encrypted by either TLS (Transport Layer Security) or SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). These encryptions ensure that the communication in the website is protected so no one can eavesdrop or snoop around.
Why is this important? These types of encryption make a website safe for financial transactions and filling out forms, and protects the credentials of those who use a site.
How Does it Work?
When you request for a secure page on your browser, the web browser contacts the server via HTTPS for a secure connection. The server then sends a copy of the security certificate for the browser to validate.
Once the browser validates the certificate, it creates a session key and encrypts that certificate with it then sends it back to the server.
The server then deciphers the key and hence creates a secure connection for the communication.
How to set it up
To set up the HTTPS on your website, you will need to acquire an SSL certificate from an authorized Certificate Authority. The Authority will ensure that your details are correct and valid, thus enabling your visitors to trust you.
Next, install the certificate into your website. To accomplish this, paste the certificate onto your web host control panel. Some web hosts also offer to install the certificates for you. You should, therefore, confirm with them first before installing it by yourself.
The last step is to update your website to ensure that your client’s information is secure. You will do this by enabling HTTPS to the pages that require clients to fill in their details. One important point to note is that all links on a site must be updated to ensure that the site is properly encrypted.
Conclusion
Encrypting your website ensures that your clients feel safe, and even ensures that you rank better on Google. With an encrypted website, you can rest assured that your site will gain more trust and experience fewer attacks.
