Security
SSL, HTTPS and the padlock
The padlock proves the connection is encrypted. It does not prove the business is legitimate, and the difference matters more than most people assume.
What it is
What it actually does
- Encrypts what travels between a visitor and your site, so it cannot be read in transit.
- Confirms the visitor reached the domain they typed rather than something impersonating it.
- That is the whole promise. It says nothing about whether the company behind the domain is trustworthy.
How it works
Why you should not pay much for one
- Free certificates from Let's Encrypt provide the same encryption as expensive ones.
- Most hosting includes them and renews them automatically.
- Extended validation certificates, which used to display a company name, no longer do so in modern browsers. That was the main reason to buy one.
What to check
The mixed content problem
- A page served securely that loads an image or script insecurely will show a warning or silently block it.
- This usually happens after a site is moved to HTTPS and some links still point at the old address.
- It is the most common reason a padlock is missing on a site that supposedly has a certificate.
Worth knowing
What to check
- Every page loads with the padlock, not only the homepage.
- The old address redirects to the secure one rather than serving both.
- The certificate renews automatically. An expired certificate produces a full page browser warning that stops visitors dead.
The short version
Get one, make sure it renews itself, and do not pay extra for a promise the browser stopped displaying years ago.
Start here
Padlock missing or a certificate warning?
This is usually a twenty minute fix and we are happy to point you at it. Tell us what you are seeing and where.
800.274.6775Free consultation · Family owned · Never outsourced
- You talk to the people who do the work, not an account handler.
- Fixed scope and fixed price before anything starts.
- You own every file, every login, and every asset. Always.
- Straight answers, including when the answer is that you do not need us.
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