Your Connection Is Not Secure : How To Fix

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The security warning "your connection is not secure" has been a thorn on my flesh for a couple of days. Finally, I have resolved this issue!. On this post, I will be discussing one root causation of this security warning and the correlation with the Pretty Links plugin.

Google Security Update

Google released a security update in September 2016 titled moving towards a more secure web. They informed web users and webmasters that beginning from January 2017, they will mark HTTP pages that collect passwords or credit cards as non-secure. This was a part of their long-term plan to mark all HTTP sites as non- secure.

We are now in 2018. It is safe to conclude that this longterm plan has fully kicked in. The not secure warning is displayed by most web browsers (Google, IE, Firefox etc). If you are experiencing this security warning, one root causation is that some of your web pages are been loaded via HTTP.

Security Warning Correlation with HTTP

Taking a look at the image below. You can clearly see that the generated links are HTTP not HTTPS.

After incorporating these links into my SiteRubix website (Sample page), the security warning appears. See the image below


Besides the blurry picture, you can still see that the security warning is displayed. The web user is warned not to enter any sensitive information on this site. This security warning is due to the HTTP generated links via Pretty Links. However, I must stress that this is an unusual occurrence because in most cases the generated links from Pretty links are HTTPS.

Consequences for Online Business (Website) Owners

This issue presents a serious concern for website owners. It leads to an immediate lack of trust from visitors and could result in the following:

  1. Increased Cart Abandonment
  2. Increased Bounce Rate
  3. Poor Ranking

Problem Resolution

First make sure that your SSL is active (On).

You can convert all HTTP URL on your wordpress site to HTTPS using a plugin called Better Search Repalce.

(Install and Activate)

Add new plugin - Install and activate the Better Search Replace plugin
Click on Tools on your wordpress site
Click on Better Search Replace

Run the following Fixes

  1. Search for http
  2. Replace with https
  3. Select all tables (All should be highlighted)
  4. Uncheck the Run as dry run box
  5. Run Search/ Replace

After you have done . Run a second fix this time search for httpss and replace with https.The security warning will be removed and the secure connection green padlock icon displayed.

If your website does not display the secure connection green padlock icon. You could use WhyNoPadlock to analyse your URL to find out why.

I hope this helps anyone else experiencing this problem.

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Recent Comments

47

Hey Anthony,
Thanks for this information.

Tried and True

Elaine

No worries. Always a pleasure to see you. Thanks for stopping by

Thanks for a terrific blog and the resulting thread it made.
Cheers Jae

No worries. Thanks for stopping by

Hi, Anthony.
Paul here from Canada.

Thank you sharing this information.

I checked my Pretty Links and found them to be in order.
They are all generated as https.

Not sure why this might be happening.

Paul.

Thanks for sharing Paul. The HTTPS generated links have no issues, It is just a weird occurrence that some links are generated via HTTP.

Let's wait and see.
If the problem is persistent and requires a solution, I'm sure we will all figure one out.

It's nice to hear from you again.

I trust that things are well.

Onward and upward.

Paul.

Thanks for the info man. This kinda sucks. Hopefully pretty links will do some sort of update HTTPS soon.

Yea hopefully the developers should update soon. Not everyone is experiencing this issue. Thanks for stopping by, much - appreciated

Thanks for the info.

Wayne

No worries. Thanks for stopping by

It must just be because of the Site Rubix domain. The Pretty Link domains on my own domain are https.

I used the Siterubix as an illustration. I experienced the same issue with my actual domains. I will have to check if there are different versions of the plugin. Links created via HTTPS are absolutely fine. Thanks for this insight

Thanks so much for your very timely post.
We had been considering installing the Pretty Links plugin but will now hold off on this until a fix can be found.
Colette and Philip

No worries. Hopefully, the developers will fix this soon enough.

You guys should go ahead and install the pretty links plugin. As long as the created links are HTTPS you should be fine. I have updated the post. Cheers

Thanks very much, we will check it out!
Have a great weekend.

I found 11 on my website and will make them https if possible
Here is how you can check and find out if you have http:// links in your Pretty links Lite plugin as a target link

Click on edit, check if the link is working with an s attached in the browser, if so, you can add the https

Is your website displaying the non-secure warning? I am just wondering.

I didn't have complaints about it, I don't think so. I don't know what Google sees. There where 8 http:// links to WA. I made them before the SSL came through, and never thought about the Pretty links. I have them all with https now

If your web browser is displaying the secure connection green padlock icon, then you should have no worries. Best wishes

Yes, it does, thanks

That's so helpful! I have had that happen with one of my posts and hadn't had a chance to look into it so that link will help a lot! Thank you!

No worries. This issue was such a pain. Glad to be of service.

Thank you, it's good to know, when people have questions about this, to tell them to check the http links in their Pretty Link Lite library too

No worries. Cheers

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