21 November, 2016

HTTPS (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure) and SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates have provided an effective means to keep your information secure over the internet. However, many enterprises still rely on the public cloud and other unsecure web applications. This is mainly because of the common misconceptions related to the management, cost, usability and benefits of these network security protocols. It is important to debunk the myths about SSL certificates and HTTPS protocols so that organizations can secure their online resources.

MYTH: SSL Certificates Are Expensive
FACT: This is one of the major reasons why most entrepreneurs avoid getting SSL certificate for their website. However, if you research thoroughly, there are many low cost SSL certificate providers on the internet. You should consider your requirements in terms of features and mobile compatibility to get the right SSL certificate.

MYTH: HTTPS Slows Down A Website
FACT: HTTPS does not have any visible impact on the load time of the website. Though the connection with the server may take some time due to the data encryption process, it can be resolved by upgrading the processor.

MYTH: HTTPS Is Required Only For The Login Pages
FACT: Another common myth is that HTTPS is required for the website’s login or home page only. In actual fact, if you do not secure other pages of your website, you are actually increasing the likelihood of session hijacking, particularly if the users are connected to an open Wi-Fi network. Any information shared by the users can be easily viewed, accessed and manipulated by the hackers.

MYTH: HTTPS Websites Involve No Content Caching
FACT: Many people claim that websites using HTTPS cannot be cached by the web browsers. However, if you use response headers, you can prompt the browser to cache the content in your website. The response headers to be used may differ for each web browser.

MYTH: SSL Will Not Affect Your Website’s SEO
FACT: In an attempt to improve online security, Google officially announced that websites using HTTPS will be ranked high in results pages. This has encouraged most webmasters to switch from HTTP to HTTPS to avoid having a negative impact on their website’s ranking. Also, users are more likely to visit websites that are encrypted, particularly if they are required to their sensitive information such as username, password, credit card details etc.

For more information about the importance of SSL and HTTPS for websites, feel free to contact Centex Technologies at (855) 375 – 9654.