Website Security: Why you need to care about your visitors

Posted by Andrew Schwartz on 02 08 2017. 0 Comments

Why is this website not secure?

Today, web security is more than important. It’s critical for any website collecting user data. Chrome warns uses when a site is unsecured, and suggests users don’t enter any personal information on non-secure sites. From August 2016 to February 2017, instances of secure sites have increased by just under 50%, according to Scott Helme a security researcher and founder of securityheaders.io and report-uri.io. Site security allows users to transmit encrypted data over their internet connection, hiding it from other internet users.

Is SSL Security important for my site?

Yes! If you store ANY information, it’s important to use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) on your site! HTTPS, the reference for a SSL equipped site, became the industry standard for any new site (or even upgrading an old one) beginning with Chrome’s implementation of resolve warnings in January 2017 (Chrome 56). When users visit an unsecured website, they’ll see the unsecured warning and warn users not to enter any information that may affect their privacy. Alternatively, when user privacy is being protected, on a secure website, users see the “Secure | https://” in front of their browsers URL bar.

Beginning in October 2017, Chrome will begin displaying the unsecured warnings on all web pages without SSL certificates, which you can read about on the official Chromium blog here to learn more. This push will help users stay protected online and is being used to build awareness about online security. The Google team is stoked about getting the internet secure and we’re proud to help! Make Directory Developers simplifies your business by including SSL right into our Business Hosting Plan – See why it matters.

 

What is Encryption (And SSL) anyways?

Did you know “kryptos” in Greek, means “hidden”?

Modern computer security layers often include encryption. It’s a way of hiding information by altering it based on a predetermined algorithm, or in some more complex security systems, a per-user generated key. If you receive an encrypted file without the key, it would look foreign; you wouldn’t recognize the same patterns, or language structure. Generally the only way it can be deciphered is with its own key, sometimes referred to as a rainbow table. A rainbow table is a type of pre-generated key that can reverse cryptographic hash functions, meaning it determines one variable by defining it through another, and so on and so forth, until it compiles the necessary information for output. Encryption and rainbow tables are both similar to Cryptographic or Kryptos; they store information that is not easily recognizable to humans, but can easily be decoded by a machine.

Why is encryption important for my site?

User data can’t be easily read if its properly encrypted, meaning users entering information on a secure website don’t have to worry about the content they’re communicating across the web. It’s always private if your using SSL, unless you’re on a public network, but that’s for another blog! If you want your users to feel comfortable using your site or online service, we highly recommend they are SSL protected before October 2017.

 

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions, or, you’re interested in learning more about website security schedule a call with us or send an email to [email protected] for more information. Make Directory offers SSL and hosting services to help keep your users protected and safe on your website.