If you shop online or do your banking online, you may already know about HTTPS protocols and how they keep your information safe. But if you are new to shopping or banking online, you should know about HTTPS and how to keep your credit card information safe when you buy something online. Here are some details about HTTPS and what it can be used for.
What does HTTPS mean?
HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure is what HTTPS stands for. It works the same way HTTP does when you look at a website, but it uses SSL security to keep your information safe and private. This is the kind of address you use when you go to a site where you might need to enter your financial information to check your accounts or buy something.
How can I tell if a website uses HTTPS?
Knowing if a site is HTTPS or not can help you decide if it's safe to put your information on the site or not. Many Internet browsers can be set up to let you know when you're going to a site's secure page. Then you can decide whether or not to go to this page. But if your settings don't show this, you can look in the site's address bar. If you are going to enter information or buy something on a page, the page address should start with https:// instead of http://.
How does HTTPS work?
The way HTTPS works is that the information you enter on the page is encrypted. So, even if someone has access to the server where the page is, they won't be able to see what's on it. This means that the information about your credit card stays safe and sound.
HTTPS problems
HTTPS helps keep your data safe, but it can never be 100% effective, and security breaches do happen. If you use HTTPS pages, make sure you only use them on your private computer and that you keep track of the pages you use. Also, sometimes it's hard to get to HTTPS pages because they can't be stored correctly in your computer's cache. If you're having this problem, make sure to clear your cache regularly. This will make it easier for you to get on the site.
Don't use sites that aren't safe.
Even though HTTPS is not completely safe, it is much safer than using a site without HTTPS. Make sure the site uses HTTPS if you are entering any kind of financial information. If it isn't, your credit card information could be at risk. Always check a site before you use it, and if you can't figure out if it's safe, talk to the site's owners or find another one. If you use sites with HTTPS, your credit card information is much more likely to stay safe.
