Internet security: secure websites with SSL and HTTPS

Data espionage and data misuse are serious problems for both international authorities and consumers worldwide. Internet security is thus occupying an increasingly central role for both businesses and individuals. There’s little doubt that the Information Age has substantially affected the way we interact with one another on both a private and professional basis. In-house communication, customer data, and other sensitive information build up some of the most vital nuts and bolts of this infrastructure, and protocols like SSL/TLS i.e. HTTPS are vital to ensure their secure management. But what exactly do these terms mean and how does one go about implementing security protocols for their web presence?

HTTPS (“hypertext transport protocol secure”) is the protocol used for secure data transfer, whereas HTTP refers to the non-secured variant. With HTTP websites, all transferred data can potentially be read or changed by attackers, and users can never really be certain whether their credit card data has been sent to the intended online vendor or a hacker. HTTPS encrypts data and verifies the authenticity of requests. This process takes place via the SSL certificate or the more sophisticated TLS certificate. In other words, it is the combination of HTTP and SSL/TLS. Most experts agree that TLS should be used in place of SSL. Sometimes the terms get used interchangeably even though TLS is meant.

The advantages of using SSL/TLS and HTTPS at a glance:

• Data protection and security for customers and partners
• Minimized risk of data theft and abuse of personal information
• Positive ranking factor on Google
• Enables use of  HTTP/2 for improved website performance
• Certificates are easy for users to recognize and help to build trust

Click here to download the infographic about the different SSL-certificates.

The next step involves installing the SSL/TLS certificate on the server. Hosting providers often take care of this step. The customer area of the provider’s site allows users to directly apply for the required certificate, which is then added by the provider. As an IONOS customer, you can easily add a SSL/TLS certificate to your existing webhosting package by following the steps in the Control Center. For many packages, the certificate is also included and installation varies depending on the provider. Generally, providers or certificate vendors supply the corresponding installation guides. The following points are essential for a seamless installation:

• Correct certificates
• Proper encryption
• Appropriate server configuration

Some mistakes should be avoided when converting a web presence. Heeding this advice can save you the trouble of having to deal with ranking losses or unavailable sites.

Website owners wishing to switch their sites to SSL/TLS should, therefore:

• Avoid expired certificates: an invalid or expired SSL certificate can lead to warning messages appearing in the browser window. This sends the wrong message to the user and can potentially reduce website traffic.

• Setting up the correct redirect: avoiding duplicate content requires the webmaster to set up the correct  301 redirect. Doing this helps search engines avoid the pitfall of evaluating the HTTP site and the HTTPS site as two different websites and expecting different content from them in the process. 
• Aligning advertising accounts (Google AdWords, Bing Ads etc.): embedding unencrypted content (pictures, script, etc.) into an HTTPS site causes a warning message to appear when the user accesses the website, which can unnerve them. This can particularly lead to trouble when placing ads, as most advertisements are dispatched in unencrypted forms, making it all the more important to ensure that your accounts have been properly aligned.
• Converting Webmaster Tools and Google Analytics: in theory, HTTP and the HTTPS version are actually two different websites; this is why the HTTPS variant also needs to be registered in the Webmaster Tool.
• Updating XML Sitemaps: the sitemap also needs to be updated and recorded in the Webmaster Tool.
• Checking external and internal links: Even though 301 redirects may prevent corrupted links, all internal links should still be changed after migrating to the HTTPS protocol. Depending on how the content is added to the CMS, carrying out this step manually may be an unavoidable chore. For external links, it’s best to adjust the most important links (e.g. those with significant page authority) to the new HTTPS address.

With the free SSL check from IONOS, all it takes is one click and you can check whether your current SSL certificate is correctly installed and your website is protected against attacks.

In addition to the abovementioned advantages of SSL encryption, users’ increased trust of a company’s website, and ultimately of the company itself, proves a compelling argument for setting up a secure website.

Jeff Barto, Trust Strategist at Symantec, explains just how important web trust is and what implications it has on users’ increasingly high expectations of web security.

In the following video, Jeff recommends three concrete steps on what companies can do to fulfill users’ rising website security expectations.

• Integrate trust seals into the website
  Trust seals are one of the most common indicators of a site’s credibility. For example, different seals can guarantee data security, secure payment, or confirm that a site is free of malware

• Add certificates with high security levels
  Certificates with a high level of security increase trust and give users a visual cue of a site’s security directly in the browser bar

• ‘Always on SSL’
  The SSL/TLS certificate should be displayed on all of a domain’s subpages, not just on the login page or in the shopping cart. Doing this provides better protection to users throughout the entirety of their visit

It’s been often discussed over the last few years whether or not converting a website to HTTPS has a positive effect on search engine rankings. Google announced in 2014 that it would positively rate sites with a secure connection via HTTPS. Google justified its decision by claiming that it wants to make the internet more secure by prompting website owners to encrypt their sites without exception. According to official statements by the search engine giant, all websites that are not encrypted will be marked with a red ‘X’ in the Chrome browser. To date, HTTP sites have always been shown as white, while HTTPS have been labeled with a green padlock. Following this move, HTTPS is to be standardized for all websites.

Regardless of Google’s plans, using HTTPS sends a message of quality and professionalism to visitors. Internet users are becoming more aware of some of the finer points on the topic of data security, meaning that even laypeople are able to recognize if a site is secure or not.

Want to make your website more secure? Learn more about SSL certificates from IONOS and how they increase your site’s trustworthiness.