Google goes to https?

uknowist · 3 Oct 2013 at 14:09

Hi I have noticed that overnight for reasons I dont know that if i goto google.com it redirects me to https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=cr&ei=pmtNUqnCOMfFswaZjYHIAg is this something I should be concerned about? Thought maybe my browser is hijacked or something, it happens in firefox chrome and IE.. has this happened to anyone else? I am not signed into any of google services either..

Hyburnate · 3 Oct 2013 at 14:12

Nope, perfectly normal!

If you click the padlock (browser specific) it will tell you who the licence is from

geuben · 3 Oct 2013 at 14:13

Don't worry about it. All it means is that your connection to Google is secure so no one can intercept what you are searching for.

Hyburnate · 3 Oct 2013 at 14:17

geuben said:
Don't worry about it. All it means is that your connection to Google is secure so no one can intercept what you are searching for.

Apart from your boss, your ISP, the NSA.

Don't forget the guy looking over your shoulder.

uknowist · 3 Oct 2013 at 14:17

So how come this has happened literally overnight?

randal · 3 Oct 2013 at 14:22

When have Google ever staggered in a change? GMail for example, changes all the time and there's little you can do about it.

Their platform, their rules.

uknowist · 3 Oct 2013 at 14:28

I just thought it was only me it was happening to so thought something was amiss like a browser hijacker or something

randal · 3 Oct 2013 at 14:33

Nah you're OK.

Incidentally if you like it, HTTPS Everywhere is a nice browser plugin that tries HTTPS for all sites you visit. Nice little add on.

Glanza · 3 Oct 2013 at 16:15

It's fine, Google have a habit of rolling out changes without making a big parade about it

Orcvader · 3 Oct 2013 at 16:20

Wasn't there a Firefox feature that tries to make the connection HTTPS? Makes web browsing more secure anyway

.

marc2003 · 3 Oct 2013 at 16:23

geuben said:
All it means is that your connection to Google is secure so no one can intercept what you are searching for.

~~incorrect. whatever you search for forms part of the URL and that is not encrpyted. ok they can't see the content of the pages but it will still show up if you're looking for that goat porn.~~

oops, i was wrong so i apologise. the GET part of the URL is encrypted. i thought i read somewhere the whole URL was open.

Steampunk · 3 Oct 2013 at 16:25

Orcvader said:
Wasn't there a Firefox feature that tries to make the connection HTTPS? Makes web browsing more secure anyway .

HTTPS Everywhere

Sunbed · 3 Oct 2013 at 16:37

uknowist said:
So how come this has happened literally overnight?

Actually https://encrypted.google.com/ has existed for some time. The NSA snooping was potentially bad publicity for Google, and maybe forced them to roll it out quicker.

Encryted searches causes some issues with SEO/marketing companies but I'm not fully up to speed on that.

Anon-e-mouse · 4 Oct 2013 at 01:04

marc2003 said:
incorrect. whatever you search for forms part of the URL and that is not encrpyted. ok they can't see the content of the pages but it will still show up if you're looking for that goat porn.

This is only true if you use an add-on and use that to do the search.. if you goto the google website directly and then do the search, then it will only be google and you that knows what you searched for, because the connection is already encrypted before the search is completed.

marc2003 · 4 Oct 2013 at 01:34

i just had a quick search and i was wrong. i could have sworn i read somewhere the whole URL is visible. i've edited my post and apologised to the person i quoted.