- \n
- Why you SHOULD have SSL<\/li>\n
- Why you HAVE TO have SSL<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Because it\u2019s no longer optional. I mean, I guess it is, but it\u2019s like a driver\u2019s license, while you can operate a car without one, it\u2019s going to get you into trouble when the right people find out.<\/p>\n
Anyway, we\u2019ll get to that in a few moments, first let\u2019s start with why you SHOULD have SSL.<\/p>\n
Why You SHOULD Have SSL<\/h2>\n
An SSL Certificate is a digital file that facilitates encryption between a web server and a web host. It prevents your communication from being intercepted or manipulated by eavesdropping third parties.<\/p>\n
Now, why is this important? Well, think about the things that get communicated across the internet on a regular basis\u2014everything from login credentials to banking info. There\u2019s a lot of sensitive information out there. If you\u2019re collecting any of it, you need SSL to secure it. Otherwise, all that information can be stolen. Many industries, like the Payment Card Industry, mandate SSL be used for that exact reason: it secures sensitive data in transit<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n
But even if you\u2019re not collecting personal information, SSL is still a good call. By serving your website over HTTPS, you gain access to advanced browser features, HTTP\/2 and avoid browser warnings.<\/p>\n
You can also block content injection, which means that ISPs can\u2019t steal your ad revenues by injecting their own ads.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also worth mentioning that higher value SSL certificates (OV and EV) can also supply verified business information that helps keep your customers safe from phishing.<\/p>\n
Why You HAVE TO Have SSL<\/h2>\n
Now let\u2019s flip things over and talk about why you\u2019re being required to add SSL encryption. The browser community, bossy group that they are<\/em>, has started an industry-wide push for universal encryption.<\/p>\n
Why do we care what the browsers think? Well, because it turns out they wield quite a bit of power on the internet. Don\u2019t believe me? Try to use the internet without your browser. You can\u2019t! 99.9% of the population would be lost without their browser.<\/p>\n
This positions the browsers between users and the websites that populate the internet. Now if you\u2019re running a website, and you want customers, visitors, patrons, subscribers \u2013 whatever you call your target audience \u2013 to visit, then you need a browser to bring them to you. Owning a website that can\u2019t be reached by browsers is like being a landlord in Chernobyl\u2014nobody\u2019s ever going to see all that hard work.<\/p>\n
And yes, that\u2019s right, if you run afoul of Google it will literally crater your $#!% like Chernobyl. Wait, was there an actual crater at Chernobyl? [Editor\u2019s Note: I think it was just a meltdown] Whatever, you\u2019ll be radioactive and everyone will abandon you and you\u2019ll die a slow ignominious death and become but a footnote to history. I\u2019m kidding. You\u2019re not getting a footnote.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s get this back on track. [Editor\u2019s Note: Yes, let\u2019s] the browsers are moving to mandate encryption and they\u2019re doing this with warnings of increasing severity. It started in January of 2017 when websites with insecure password fields were marked as \u201cNot Secure.\u201d And it\u2019s going to continue ramping up until any website without SSL is labeled \u201cNot Secure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Think about that, honestly, who\u2019s going to come to your website against Google\u2019s suggestion. It\u2019s Google. When is Google wrong? Need to know how tall Brad Pitt is? Google knows. Need to know where to buy YooHoo? Google knows. So why wouldn\u2019t Google know about this? People trust Google. And if Google tells them you\u2019re a bad boy, they\u2019re not going to ignore that. It\u2019s also worth mentioning that unlike the bad boys from high school, bad boy websites don\u2019t get much action.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s Wrap This Up<\/h2>\n
Let\u2019s review what we\u2019ve learned:<\/p>\n
- \n
- SSL Certificates encrypt communication between websites and their visitors<\/li>\n
- Without encryption, all communication can be intercepted or manipulated<\/li>\n
- Many industries like the Payment Card and Healthcare industries mandate SSL<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
- Any website that collects personal information needs an SSL certificate<\/li>\n
- In 2017, the web browsers started pushing a universal encryption initiative<\/li>\n
- By 2018, all websites without SSL will be marked \u201cNot Secure\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Remember, SSL isn\u2019t just a choice anymore. It\u2019s mandatory. But that\u2019s not the only reason you need encryption. It truly is an internet best practice at this point. In an age when personal privacy is being emphasized more than ever, being able to secure information in transit is integral to your website\u2019s success. And being marked \u201cNot Secure\u201d by Google is tantamount to its failure.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t let Google Chernobyl your website. Get SSL.<\/p>\n
Stay cautious, my friends.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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