What is HTTPS and SSL?

HTTPS is the secure version of the web protocol, shown by a padlock and https at the start of your address. It relies on a certificate, commonly called an SSL certificate, to encrypt data traveling between a visitor's browser and your server. Technically the modern standard is called TLS, but the SSL name stuck.

Encryption keeps form entries, logins and payments from being read or changed along the way. Browsers warn visitors when a site is not secure, which scares off customers. Google also treats HTTPS as a lightweight ranking signal, and many modern browser features require it.

Certificates expire and must be renewed, and a site can be partly insecure if some images or scripts still load over plain HTTP. Many hosts now issue and renew certificates automatically. We make sure every page is served securely and that renewals never lapse.