Google has been preparing for this since a long time now. All websites bearing the HTTP protocol will now be marked as ‘Not Secure’ on the Google Chrome web browser starting July this year. With the launch of Chrome 68, Google will warn users that all websites not using HTTPS i.e. Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure are not secure to browse.
According to Google, more than 68% of Chrome traffic on Android and Windows, and more than 78% on Chrome OS and Mac, is now being sent via HTTPS. HTTPS ensures that all communication between a user’s browser and the website is encrypted, thereby ensuring higher security standards while browsing.
Google has been making way for the move since a long time now. Chrome 56 had started warning users that HTTP websites are “Not Secure” if they contained a payments gateway or password fields. Chrome 62 took this to the next level and starting displaying the warning to users when they opened an HTTP link in private browsing mode. With Chrome 68, all websites still on HTTP will display a safety warning to users as Google's third and final step to secure browsing.
Google is not the first one to implement this security feature on their browser. Mozilla Firefox had started work on the same back in December last year, again due to the increasing adoption of HTTPS.
Unlike HTTP, HTTPS ensures that even if hackers manages to break into the connection between the browser and the website, they cannot decrypt any information being exchanged by the two.