Switching from Http to Https: What Options Are Available

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There are various ways to switch to https, but first, an SSL certificate must be deposited or activated with the provider. Then you can begin the process. You can find the setup instructions on your provider's support page. Some providers offer a free certificate, but not all. In this article, you'll learn about the quick ways to welcome your visitors securely through https.



Why Switch to Https?

With https, transmitted data is encrypted. You can usually choose a Basic or Lets Encrypt SSL certificate for https under settings and also redirect to https directly through the provider. Today, https is necessary due to GDPR, especially when transmitting data, like through a contact form. If your provider doesn't offer a free SSL certificate, you'll have to purchase one.


Https, or Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure, is the way data is transmitted, and it must be secured. This ensures a secure connection between your server and the user, especially when form data is being sent to the server for storage.



Redirect to SSL with .htaccess

Once you've set up the certificate, it may take some time to install and become active. Once active, you can use the following in your .htaccess file:


// HTACCESS CODE
     0  RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !=on  1  RewriteRule ^ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

    This variant is for an Apache server and is implemented in the .htaccess file, making it the best solution.



    Redirect from Http to Https with PHP

    This would look like:


    // PHP CODE
       0  $HTTPS = (isset($_SERVER['HTTPS']) ? $_SERVER['HTTPS'] : '');   1  if ($HTTPS && $HTTPS == 'on') {  2      header('Location: https://www.example.com');  3  }

      Though it could also be done with JavaScript, it doesn't make sense if you have access to .htaccess. However, if you don't have access to .htaccess or PHP, JavaScript would make sense.



      Redirect to SSL with JavaScript

      Here's the JavaScript variant:


      // JS CODE
         0  if (location.protocol !== 'https:') {  1      location.href = 'https://www.example.com';  2  }

        You could also use HTML redirection, but without a query, it wouldn't make sense, and we would continually redirect.



        How Secure is Https?

        No system is 100% secure, and https attacks are becoming more common. Even they have vulnerabilities that have become known over time. Your website's code is as important as a secure connection. If your code has vulnerabilities in processing confidential data, a secure connection won't matter.



        Conclusion

        Switching to https is an essential step in ensuring the security of your website and its users. From Apache's .htaccess redirection to PHP and JavaScript methods, there are several ways to implement this critical security measure. By understanding these methods and the importance of https, you can protect sensitive information and comply with legal regulations. Remember, the strength of your security doesn't only depend on https; a robust website code is equally vital.