This site has now been upgraded to use secure https (SSL) rather than http.
Here is a brief explanation of HTTPS, how it differs from HTTP, and its benefit to you, the end user.
What is HTTPS?
https stands for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure. It is the secure version of http, the protocol used for sending data between your browser and a website. It means all communications between your browser and the website are encrypted. The 'S' stands for secure. Web browsers will usually display a green padlock to indicate that a secure connection is in place. For https to work, an https certificate needs to be installed on the server.
What is an HTTPS Certificate?
https uses a public and private key system. Data that has been encrypted with the public key can only be decrypted by the private key and vice-versa.
When a web browser connects to a webpage via https, the server sends its https certificate to the browser. This certificate contains the public key needed to begin the secure session.
Why do I need HTTPS
Data sent over regular http connections are sent in plain text and could in theory be read by anyone who intercepts the connection. With an https connection, the data is securely encrypted, meaning that even if someone intercepted it, they wouldn't be able to read it.
Starting in January 2017, Google's Chrome began to mark non-https pages as 'Insecure'. Firefox and Safari already do this too.
Additionally, Google is now using https as a ranking signal, meaning not having https could harm the site's ranking in Google.
Secure HTTP is not generally supported by vBulletin, however as a commitment to our end users this has been introduced for your benefit.
Some pages will still show as still not 100% secure, this is solely down the the fact that some threads contian non SSL links. (such as images). This is not reflective of THIS sites security.
I have today applied a re-direction to the server so there is no need to change your bookmark settings, you will automatically be re-directed.
Here is a brief explanation of HTTPS, how it differs from HTTP, and its benefit to you, the end user.
What is HTTPS?
https stands for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure. It is the secure version of http, the protocol used for sending data between your browser and a website. It means all communications between your browser and the website are encrypted. The 'S' stands for secure. Web browsers will usually display a green padlock to indicate that a secure connection is in place. For https to work, an https certificate needs to be installed on the server.
What is an HTTPS Certificate?
https uses a public and private key system. Data that has been encrypted with the public key can only be decrypted by the private key and vice-versa.
When a web browser connects to a webpage via https, the server sends its https certificate to the browser. This certificate contains the public key needed to begin the secure session.
Why do I need HTTPS
Data sent over regular http connections are sent in plain text and could in theory be read by anyone who intercepts the connection. With an https connection, the data is securely encrypted, meaning that even if someone intercepted it, they wouldn't be able to read it.
Starting in January 2017, Google's Chrome began to mark non-https pages as 'Insecure'. Firefox and Safari already do this too.
Additionally, Google is now using https as a ranking signal, meaning not having https could harm the site's ranking in Google.
Secure HTTP is not generally supported by vBulletin, however as a commitment to our end users this has been introduced for your benefit.
Some pages will still show as still not 100% secure, this is solely down the the fact that some threads contian non SSL links. (such as images). This is not reflective of THIS sites security.
I have today applied a re-direction to the server so there is no need to change your bookmark settings, you will automatically be re-directed.