If you’ve ever been to a website, and the internet browser you’re using stops you to say, “This Website is Insecure!” then you’ve run into a website that doesn’t use encryption. Now, if you haven’t seen this message, chances are you’re still using Internet Explorer as a web browser. And take it from us, Internet Explorer is a relationship you need to let go of.
I don’t know no code stuff, though. So what even is encryption? The truth is, you don’t even need computers for encryption. Think about during a war, when countries need to send information to each other over a radio. They can’t just say all their strategies out loud, their enemies could be listening. So they come up with a secret code! That code, is encryption! Taking a message of some sort, and hiding it inside of a code, then whoever you are sending the message to knows the code well enough to decrypt the message, and turn it back into real words! Unfortunately, the internet is much more like an open radio than most people realize. Even pulling down a single website like brankkahuna.com Your request could hit 10 or more different network points on the way to getting our website information. At all of those different points, anyone could see your information, as well as the information coming back to you from us! Time to use our own secret code!
So what is our super secret code? Well, of course we can’t just tell you! Its actually just a bunch of crazy math. A very interesting fact about this math, almost every company in the world doesn’t even do their own. Even Brand Kahuna doesn’t do our own math. Computers can generate random number keys to an unbelievable amount of digits. Think about if you were translating a message from your other countrymen during a war, and you had to run each letter through a 64 digit key. It would take hours to do a single sentence, and that’s with the key! If you didn’t have the key… it might take you your entire lifetime to decode one word. Computers can work a billion times faster than you, but without the key, even they would take months or even years to figure out a few sentences. If you have some crazy math desire to read about how these random keys are generated, look here.
OK, that’s what encryption means for websites, but does my website have encryption? Well, there’s a simple way to tell. When you type in a website, or your website, or your dog’s Instagram account, it will either take you to the website via an http:// link, or an https:// link. The one with the s, means it’s encrypted. In fact, modern browsers like Firefox and Chrome will show you a little safety padlock to prove that your are connecting over an encrypted channel. Like this one:
If you are on our website and you don’t see this encryption padlock, then you’re probably using Internet Explorer. Again, get out of that abusive relationship.
That’s encryption! In recent years there have been a few different levels of certificates you can get with this encryption added to your website for a fee, but unless you are running a large company that handles online transactions, credit card numbers, or social security numbers, these added layers aren’t needed. We can discuss those at another time.
If your company website is not currently using encryption, your information and that of your customers could be in danger. If you’d like to know more, or want to switch to a company that will give you your own green padlock, contact Brand Kahuna.
