Secure your HTTP Websites from Potential Threats by Migrating to HTTPS

Internet is not a safe place to tread anymore, the possibility of being a victim to some kind of attack is greater than before. HTTP aka Hypertext Transfer Protocol is an application protocol used for supporting communication over the internet. The need for migration is highlighted in the above statement, but why? Even though HTTP is having a vital role in data transmission the path defined is unsecured, also, HTTP is a stateless protocol. One of the main disadvantages of being stateless is the inability to have the record of previous actions.

Since HTTP provides an unsecured path for communication, the possibility of data being manipulated is possible. SSL, which stands for Secure Sockets Layer was developed to combat this. Under SSL the data will be encrypted to avoid interception from third parties. Further SSL was upgraded to TLS aka Transport Layer Security, which promised much better protection than SSL. So, the combination of SSL/TLS with HTTP gave way to HTTPS, where ‘S’ represents Secure.

Through HTTPS one can conduct a secure or in other words an encrypted communication between a browser and website. Managing online business can be quite perilous. Sensitive client information is easily vulnerable to potential hackers, so this is where HTTPS can come as a lifeline. Not only it supports secure data transmission but also helps to enhance the Google Search Rankings.

Yes, you have read it correctly, HTTPS do influence search rankings by establishing a trustworthy relation with your customers. Online banking activities are usually performed based on such secure backups, once the confidence of a customer is gained then the whole process will be a breeze.

Possible Attacks over HTTP

As explained earlier, HTTP is susceptible to various forms of attacks. Here are few attacks which are explained in brief.

• MITM– MITM which is defined as Man in the Middle is one such attack, where the communication between two parties are intercepted and manipulated by some third party. These third parties establish a new connection between the two concerned individuals without their knowledge. Since the data will be passed on without any proper encryption the possibility of having a commanding leverage on the information is greater.
• Content Injection– The frequency and approach of cyber attacks are advancing every minute, which can go unnoticed for a long time. One such attack is the content injection, where the genuine content will be replaced with a malicious content. Website rankings will be sure to get the maximum beating; also, any visitor may be compelled to part with their financial or personal data in the process.

Both of these intrusions can be easily countered through HTTPS since data will be under secure transmission.

Final Thoughts

Data without security will be stripped of its integrity, which should be countered effectively and efficiently. Migrating to HTTPS has lot of benefits to offer, firstly, a secure path will be established between two communicating entities and secondly, the chances of gaining better rankings in Google search results will be definite.