Oops HTTP or HTTPS ??
Most of internet websites depend on third party vendors for secured socket layer(SSL) However, before entering your payment information such as credit card details, PayPal username or password it is important to be sure that the page is secure by checking for HTTPS at the uppermost part of the page
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) is a
communications protocol for secure communication over a computer network, with
especially wide deployment on the Internet. This is actually the first element
you spot on any URL and it is used to send information over the
web.Technically, it is not a protocol in and of itself; rather, it is the
result of simply layeringthe Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) on top of the
SSL/TLS protocol, thus adding the security capabilities of SSL/TLS to standard
HTTP communications. The security of HTTPS is therefore that of the underlying
TLS, up to dateencrypt the data flow between client and server
Why use HTTPS?
What HTTPS does is provide encryption, which blocks
authentication, and sniffing thereby preventing spoofing. The first indication
of whether a website is secure for processing your information over the web is
by checking the presence of prefix HTTPS.
HTTP is insecure and
is subject to man-in-the-middle and eavesdropping attacks, which can let
attackers gain access to website accounts and sensitive information. HTTPS is
designed to withstand such attacks and is considered secure against such
attacks.
Things to check in
HTTPS
Though HTTPS is secured network , we need to ensure that the
antivirus that we are using is quality one and the datebase is up to date. This
is because a virus infection can enable intruders of your payment information
to get hold of everything you input into your computer. That is why it is advisable
to never save your private information like bank account details, social
security, and credit card number on your computer. Instead, put such
information in your head or in any other safe place
.
A virus has the potential of secretly installing a program
into your computer. This places your information in a vulnerable position of
being retrieved by the public. Many people do now know that you may be using
webpage that has HTTPS yet has an error on it. Use the secure webpage with
caution. Check if the left lower hand corner of the page has a yellow triangle
normally with an explanation point on it. Yes, the website may have an SSL but
it may be improperly installed. Do not overlook such errors and compromise your
information simply because you spot the prefix HTTPS.
How to go HTTPS ?
First and foremost, make sure that the SSL certificate is
properly installed and it is working. Then go to the admin
dashboard and point the cursor on Settings. Proceed by clicking General. You
will see WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL).Replace the
default HTTP:// for both cases with HTTPS://. Do not forget to save the changes
by clicking on the save button.