Anyone who has used the internet is familiar with hypertext transfer protocol, more commonly known as HTTP. The four-letter snippet at the beginning of each URL was designed to transmit hypertext markup language, or HTML, between a web browser and the web server.
The hypertext data being sent is actually plain text. If hackers intercept the information during communication, they can use it maliciously.
If your credit union web hosting service still uses HTTP for your credit union website, your business and members’ information are at risk. To protect the data being communicated to and from your website, web hosting for credit unions must use hypertext transfer protocol secure (HTTPS). HTTPS is mandatory for credit union website security, enhances user experience, and boosts your credit union website’s search result rankings and availability.
- HTTPS Adds Security and Privacy
- HTTPS Enhances User Experience
- HTTPS Boosts Search Rankings and Availability
- Final Words
HTTPS Adds Security and Privacy
As the name indicates. HTTPS is simply the secure form of HTTP. HTTPS utilizes secure sockets layer (SSL) and transport layer security (TLS) protocols to establish encrypted and authenticated links between networked computers. SSL/TLS produces an encrypted key pair consisting of a private key and public key. The private key remains secure while the public key is distributed via a certificate.
An HTTPS website includes the SSL/TLS certificate. When a user visits the site, the user’s public key must match the private key on the server hosting the credit union’s website to authenticate the communication session. The certificate then encrypts all data being shared between the user’s browser and the website server. Finally, the certificate protects the integrity of your website by preventing the installation of malware or even a benign intrusion of third-party advertisers on non-secure networks, such as public networks in hotels and coffeehouses.
The authenticity, integrity, and encryption of HTTPS provide credit union website security so users can send confidential information, like account numbers and social security numbers, to your site with assurance.
HTTPS Enhances User Experience
Before HTTPS, there was HTTP/2. HTTP/2 was introduced in 2015 as a new version of HTTP to reduce page load time by 50%. By the end of 2015, most major browsers supported HTTP/2.
Unlike HTTPS, HTTP/2 does not require encryption. However, because browsers utilize HTTP/2 protocol, credit union websites using HTTPS benefit from the speed and load much faster than HTTP websites. You can compare the loading time of HTTP versus HTTPS sites by running this test.
HTTPS Boosts Search Rankings and Availability
Google has been using HTTPS for Gmail and its search engine by default since 2010. As more websites adopted the HTTPS protocol, Google began studying the effect of encrypted connections on its search engine algorithms. After seeing positive results, Google began including HTTPS as a ranking signal in 2014.
Does HTTPS work? While the effects are still being studied, web solutions company Cloudtec experienced both a boost in rankings and page visibility after switching to HTTPS.
Even if your current SEO strategy puts your HTTP credit union website at the top of search engine page results, users may not be able to access features on your site once they click on the link. That’s because web browsers like Chrome and Firefox warn users when they attempt to enter personal information, such as passwords and credit card information, on an HTTP website.
Most browsers also display a padlock icon in the address bar to denote if the website is secure. Research has shown that 82% of users will not browse an unsecured HTTP website.
Final Words
HTTPS is becoming mandatory for credit union website security. Even the federal government is calling for a move toward an HTTPS standard. If the federal government has established the necessity of protecting the information and privacy of U.S. citizens on its websites, why wouldn’t you offer the same to your members?
CUWebsite™ Services’ web hosting for credit unions assists you with the installation of SSL certificates needed for credit union website security. Let us help you protect your site integrity and the privacy of your members.
