How to secure the website for free with Cloudflare (Illustrated Guide)

WordPress websites are served up over HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) protocol. HTTP is a standard way that your PC communicates with the site you’re browsing. A site that is secure utilizes an SSL certificate that is responsible for changing URL to HTTP. An SSL certificate tells your visitors (and their browsers) that you are who you say you are.

When you receive the website not secure notification on your site, what this means is that part of the content being loaded is coming over without encryption. When the communication between your computer and your browser is in the open, the transmitted data can be viewed or tampered with. Once personally, identifiable info is in the hands of cybercriminals, they will use the info to perform identity theft, make fraudulent purchases or even empty bank accounts. What the added security does is simply protect your computer’s communication by providing end-to-end encryption. This makes it harder for your ISPs, hackers, Government and other malicious parties to sniff or eavesdrop the data as it traverses the web.

In recent times, more and more WordPress websites have started implementing SSL certificates on their websites. HTTP combines with SSL to create HTTPS. SSL certificates help to secure data going to and from the websites. This, in turn, protects your privacy and builds a more safe and secure web experience for all parties. I suggest reading one of our previous articles about the reasons you should use an HTTPS Encrypted Connection and convince yourself of its importance.