October marks another move against HTTP as Google release new version of Chrome. This version will mark any web page with input fields as ‘Not Secure’ unless the site is running under SSL. The flag appears next to the URL of the page and it’s worth noting that Chrome has been flagging HTTP pages with an ‘!’ for some time. This new move is designed to further encourage all sites to run under the HTTPS protocol, displaying the green padlock and ‘Secure’ text next to the URL.
The benefits of HTTPS are obvious as viewing a page with a ‘Not Secure’ flag may put users off entering data or even staying on a page. The HTTPS protocol also offers enhanced rankings in Google Search, so it is advisable to make the move in the near future.
The image (courtesy of Google) below shows the changes to Chrome’s URL field.
We will be contacting our clients regarding this in the coming weeks. If you need advice about your website or web hosting issues please call us on 01473 852040 or email jenny@elseyadcock.co.uk.