Non Secure Site

[Tilly2]

I have just noticed that in the address bar, at the top, it has an 'i' in a circle before the address http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/ChatterBank/


Clicking on this tells me 'You connection to this site is not secure.'

Do I need to worry about that?

[Tilly2]

Anyone?

[naomi24]

I don't know if you need to worry about it but Norton tells me 'This page is safe'.

[donny48]

I had not noticed before but I have the same thing which is no doubt due to an overzealous program protection. I expect someone with greater coputer knowledge will explain . Good morning Tilly.

[Tilly2]

Good morning, Donny and Naomi. Thank you both for answering.

I only noticed it because I was on the new site and it seemed more prominent on there. When I came back here, I noticed it was the same.

Maybe it's always been like that.........?

Naomi, I don't know how to check the security of the page. My AVG tells me I am protected but that is all.

[naomi24]

Tilly, I don't know how to check the security of the page either. I'm just assuming it's safe because I have something from Norton at the top of the page telling me it is. I'm rubbish at technology.

[Tilly2]

Well, thanks for trying, Naomi. I appreciate it. x

[dannyk13]

Tilly, maybe ED can explain it.

[Tilly2]

I'll ask, Danny but I think he's a bit busy with the new site at the moment. I'll try though, thank you.

[SherryBea]

Tilly are you using Chrome? If so its perfectly normal, they changed something a few months ago and sent a lot of people into frenzy over it. It has been explained to me on another Forum but can't remember details, only that its safe. HTH

[Tilly2]

Yes, Sherry, I am using Chrome. That has made me feel a bit better. Thank you.

[bhg481]

Sites which may require you to put in "sensitive" data, such as bank details, put in extra protection, usually indicated by a green padlock and https, not just http at the beginning of the URL. Sites like AB don't need to bother, so come up as not-secure.

[237SJ]

I have Firefox and I have that symbol as well. When you click on the symbol it says "Your connection to this site is not private. Information you submit could be viewed by others (like passwords, messages, credit cards etc) If you click More Information it brings you to the security for the site and you can see cookies that the site has placed on your computer (first thing I did when I saw that was wipe them) and it shows your log in details for the site.

[SlackAlice]

All sites not showing Https + green padlock are not secure. the little (i) has been around for some time. Its also used in Firefox.

Even the BBC is the same

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk

[SherryBea]

237SJ

It doesn't quite say that....it says you should not enter sensitive material such as passwords and credit card details into this site as it is insecure and may be open to hacking. No one is going to enter CC details into the AB site and the worse anyone could do if they hacked into your AB password would be to be to post a silly post or something, so ne real security risk.

[237SJ]

Sherrybea - I was quoting what it says when you click on the i symbol

[SherryBea]

^^^there is a different message comes up on Chrome, similar but not quite what you wrote .

[jno]

the BBC site isn't secure either, though others are and will typically begin https:// (like Amazon). It just means don't go giving it your credit card number, which you presumably wouldn't anyway. When you do, is the time to check whether a site is secure or not.

I see ebay isn't secure, but perhaps the payment pages are.

[Tilly2]

Thank you all for your input.

This is the message I got form Ed on the new site:-

'Hi Tilly, that means we're not behind "HTTPS" - we use old fashioned "HTTP". HTTPS used to just be used for websites where you sent senstitive data - like your card details. These days the trend is everyone has HTTPS.

Because all your posts are public, it doesn't matter whether you send them to us encrypted. We have our own security measures in place, and HTTPS wouldn't change any of those particularly, but it might seem reassuring to some.

AB is perfectly safe as it is, but we're likely to upgrade (i.e. pay for) an HTTPS certificate in the near future because the perception that you've drawn attention to :)'

So it's safe to use. That's reassuring.