HTTPS Security - (Cybersecurity Month Tip #5)

Most anyone who browses the web regularly knows that some pages are “secure” and some are not. The key difference is that “secure” websites are served using the HTTPS protocol rather than HTTP protocol; this means that the information sent between your browser and the web server is encrypted so that anyone potentially “listening in” between you cannot read it. HTTPS also provides for positive identification of the website to avoid you being fooled by a fake. Web browsers have various visual cues to help you know you are on the right site and that it is being served to you securely. Chrome, for instance, looks like this.

This video shows you how the different browsers show you if a site is secure.

Like everything in technology, the methods used for providing this security have advanced in the past decade. For organizations hosting websites, there is a need to balance between enabling users to access your site even if they may be using an older device/browser and ensuring that appropriately secure protocols are being used. This often requires disabling older encryption ciphers and protocols in your web server. The recommended practice today is to disable all version os SSL in favor of TLSv1.1 and newer, and to disable the RC4 cipher. To scan your site (or any other publicly-accessible site) to see what security settings it supports, try using Qualys SSL Labs free testing site.


In honor of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, for October we will be posting short tips for users on improving their information security awareness and practices every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday all month long.

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