HTTPS --- Thanks Valerii. True - there are many websites/servers which don't deploy HTTPS to make the communication private and safe. While this is becoming a default and a standard, many small operators - particularly in developing countries, but not only - still lack awareness of why this is needed. At the same time, browsers (and there are few only) increasingly alert when a connection is not HTTPS - which is, of course, good.

It is important to be alerted when this pops up when we try to access services where security is a must: banks, or other places with login and sensitive data. Those portals should have (rather must have) HTTPS - if they don't, rather don't use them. Also, if this pops up suddenly when you visit your bank portal, and this wasn't the case earlier - it is possible some social engineering/attack is in place.

Source author: Vladimir Radunovic vladar@diplomacy.edu