

When you request an HTTPS connection to a webpage, the website will initially send its SSL certificate to your browser. Conversely, the public key is intended to be distributed to anybody and everybody that needs to be able to decrypt information that was encrypted with the private key. In the case of a website, the private key remains securely ensconced on the webserver. Anything encrypted with the public key can only be decrypted by the private key and vice-versa.Īs the names suggest, the ‘private’ key should be kept strictly protected and should only be accessible by the owner of the private key. An asymmetric system uses two ‘keys’ to encrypt communications, a ‘public’ key, and a ‘private’ key. Both the TLS and SSL protocols use what is known as an ‘asymmetric’ Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) system. HTTPS pages typically use one of two secure protocols to encrypt communications – SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or TLS (Transport Layer Security).


Avoid the “Connection Is Not Secure Error” Benefits of the secure HTTPS This means that even if somebody managed to break into the connection, they would not be able to decrypt any of the data which passes between you and the website.īelow is an illustration of the difference between HTTP and HTTPS: HTTP and HTTPS comparison courtesy of Comodo Inc. With an HTTPS connection, all communications are securely encrypted. This presents a clear danger if the ‘communication’ is on an order form and includes your credit card details or social security number. All communications sent over regular HTTP connections are in ‘plain text’ and can be read by any hacker that manages to break into the connection between your browser and the website. If your website address uses the label it will get the connection is not secure error. Several website clients of ours here in Aberdeen, South Dakota, have been asking about why their site is suddenly “not secure.” How is your site affected? In doing so they are taking steps to indicate to the web user whether a website is indeed using a secure connection or not. Lately, all major web browsers, including Firefox, Internet Explorer and Chrome, are pressing for a more secure web experience. Connection is not secure errors: why does it suddenly matter?
