My Website Says “Not Secure”

My website says “Not Secure.” Does that mean I’ve been hacked?

Not necessarily, but your website is more vulnerable to malicious attacks from cybercriminals. And, you’re likely losing potential customers or sales.

We’ve put together this comprehensive guide to help you learn more about keeping your site protected – the reasons behind this security issue and how to fix it. Plus, we explain why regular website maintenance is essential for defending your online presence.

In the past, web content was just thought of as blogs or blog entries on a site. However, it goes beyond that. Website content encompasses everything from the text and images to videos and interactive elements.

It’s what fills your site’s pages and tells potential customers about your brand — its story, what you offer, and how it can meet their needs. Effective well-written web copy should be engaging, informative, and optimised for search engines.

Website content creation and content strategy form an essential part of any website’s success.

In Australia, cybercrime is on the increase. Reports of such activity have risen by 23 percent on previous statistics. And, it affects everyone, which is why website security has never been more crucial, whether you’re a website owner, casual browser or online shopper.

The potential risks of visiting a not secure website include:

When a website is not secure, any data sent between the browser and server can be intercepted by a hacker. This data may include sensitive information, such as passwords, credit card details or personal identification information.

Unsecure websites are more susceptible to phishing. Attackers create legit-looking websites or send emails to steal a user’s credentials or trick them into revealing personal information.

Without the proper web security measures, a not secure website may become a breeding ground for malware, which can be downloaded by a user without their knowledge.

Many web users are becoming more aware of online security issues. Hence, a “Website Not Secure” warning message may deter customers from visiting your site or completing transactions — negatively impacting your business. 

The most common business risks of an unsecure website include:

• Search engines will flag your site as a threat.
• You will lose site visitors to a competitor.
• There is a greater chance of sensitive data being stolen from your site.
• Site visitors are at risk of being scammed.
• Your customers lose trust in your brand.

The most straightforward way is to check your browser’s address bar. The URL should begin with ‘https’ – just like the URL you’ll see in your browser right now. It may also feature a padlock icon, although this may depend on the system and version you’re running. 

If your website URL can’t be found with an ‘https’ prefix – e.g. it displays ‘http,’ your website doesn’t feature a secure connection.

There are several reasons your website may be displaying a “Not Secure” warning, including:

The most common cause of an unsecure website warning is when a site doesn’t have an SSL certificate installed. As mentioned, without the correct SSL encryption, a website leaves its data open to interception by cybercriminals. 

Many search engines will flag a website as “Not Secure” if it doesn’t meet their standard security measures of an SSL Certificate.

If you have installed an SSL certificate on your website, it can still show as “Not Secure” if the certificate has been allowed to expire. SSL certificates need periodically renewing and failure to do so will result in browsers flagging your website as unsecure.

You may be wondering why some websites are not secure even when they have an SSL certificate and show HTTPS in the URL. This can be down to an incorrect installation of the SSL protocol. The SSL certificate needs to point or direct to each page of the website individually.

A server may not be properly configured to use HTTPS, which may be considered unsecure by many browsers.

Outdated security protocols can also be an issue that leaves your site susceptible to cyberattacks. SSL protocols are updated regularly to fix vulnerabilities.

Sometimes a website will have an SSL certificate but some elements such as images, scripts or style sheets will be loaded using an unprotected HTTP connection.

When a secure HTTPS site loads content over an unsecure HTTP connection, the resulting mixed content will be flagged by a browser as “Not Secure” to indicate the potential vulnerability of the affected pages.

If your website is displaying a “Not Secure” warning, it’s likely to be for one or more of the reasons we mentioned above. Here are the potential fixes to ensure your site is safe.

The first not secure website fix is to purchase an SSL certificate from a trusted certificate authority (CA) — if you don’t already own one.

SSL certificates will normally have an expiration period of between one and two years. If it’s expired, you should renew it immediately. Many hosting providers offer an automatic SSL renewal, which reduces the risk of a certificate expiring without notice.

Carefully follow the instructions provided by your CA or web host to install the certificate on your server. This typically involves uploading the certificate files and configuring your server’s settings.

Check your server is using the latest up-to-date SSL protocols to maintain compatibility with modern browsers and their demanding security standards.

Set up any redirects server side to ensure all your web traffic is directed to the secure HTTPS version of your site. This ensures your site maintains its search engine rankings and that all users access the secure version of your site.

Check to see whether your site is experiencing any issues with mixed content by using developer tools in the browser or online mixed content checkers. Update all your page links and resources to use HTTPS.

Outdated software or extensions on your website can make your site vulnerable to risks from hackers. Keep on top of the latest versions — don’t ignore update notifications.

Check your website status regularly to ensure it remains secure. Using online automated tools and services can alert you to potential security issues before they become critical.

Preventing what causes not secure website messages isn’t a one-time task — it’s an ongoing process. Regular website maintenance is key to ensuring your site remains secure. The benefits include:

• Preventing security vulnerabilities.
• Safeguarding your data and your customers’ information. 
• Compliance with security standards.
• Maintaining the optimal performance of your site.
• Protecting your reputation.

This in turn means your site:

• Will experience better SEO rankings.
• Won’t be flagged as not secure, or unavailable on some browsers.
• Offers a better user experience to keep customers returning to your site.
• Gives you an edge over competitor sites that don’t invest in maintenance and security.
• Receives more traffic and potentially higher revenue from increased sales.

At Parramatta Web Design, we offer hosting services that include website security and maintenance packages. If you’re concerned about your website’s security or wondering why does my website say not secure, we can help.

Our comprehensive maintenance packages include:

With fast secure hosting based in Sydney, we ensure our servers meet the latest security standards of the major browsers. Our technical team constantly checks and updates server security — rapidly addressing any issues that may arise as needed.

Our team of experts can handle all aspects of SSL certificate management — from the installation on your server to the renewal — ensuring your site is always secure. Protocols are regularly checked and updated to the latest versions to comply with the latest security standards of all browsers and search engines.

Developers at Parramatta Web Design can identify and eliminate any mixed content issues with your website to prevent “Not Secure” warnings. Internal and external links are checked to make sure they use the HTTPS protocol.

Often it can be coding errors or outdated software that’s causing your website to appear as not secure to many online search engines. Weekly manual software updates by our developers can address any issues arising from the code, themes and plugins of your website.

We conduct regular security audits to identify and address any potential vulnerabilities to your website security.

Our continuous security monitoring and troubleshooting of your site detects and responds to any security threats in real-time.

We take backups daily/weekly and store them securely offsite — providing a safety net for your online presence. Secure storage and regular backups ensure your data is safe and can be restored quickly in the event of a security breach or website crash.

At Parramatta Web Design, we provide detailed monthly reports that keep you informed of your website’s overall performance — plus any security issues it may have faced. Web strategy planning can inform you of any changes that may improve your site’s security for better SEO performance.

A ‘Not Secure’ warning for your website not only deters visitors but can also put your site and your customers at risk. 

Hence, website security and regular maintenance is essential for your online presence. It keeps your site up-to-date — preventing you from malicious attacks — contributes to your site’s SEO performance, improves customer trust and more. 

So, if your website says ‘Not Secure,’ you need to take action. Protect your site — get in touch with us today.