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Site Security (SSL)

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Ace2Ace
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Site Security (SSL)

Post by Ace2Ace » Apr Mon 08, 2019 12:50 pm

Hello tennis fans,
Rex was asking the other day why we get "site insecure" message when logging in. I explained that it's all about HTTPS, and that we don't need HTTPS security scheme because we are not engaging in e-commerce. Unfortunately, all non-HTTPS site are labeld "not secured". :( :( :( And that scares folks.

HTTPS doesn't protect sites like ours from hackers. Its main purpose is to protect Credit Cards, Banking, Social Security numbers, doing taxes online, etc. We do none of that so we are really not concerned.

But Google has implemented a game changer. It has set search priority to the lowest possible for sites that have not implemented HTTPS. In other words, Google is now ignoring HTTP sites. This got lots of non-commercial sites upset because we are all forced to implemented HTTPS for Google not to ignore us.

Price range for $6/month to as high as $1600 a month. And if a site has subdomains like ours, the site has to pay for each of the subdomains too. :) :)
We do have subdomains here where I do most of the testings. No way I pay all that money for all that. Yesterday I called Godaddy, our web host, and they offered me a discount, a deal to add HTTPS here for at least $200 a year. Hmmm nope. I asked if it was OK to install a third party SSL. Yeah, they said, but I will have to install and manage the third party SSL myself. In other words, you are on your own, dear.
Fine. So I searched the web for cheaper SSL.

Well, the web is a great place. There are web freedom fighters who hate the idea that anyone should pay for SSL. I didn't know anything about them. There are quite a few. They will create free SSL certificate for anyone who can install it on his own. Here is one of them, the one I used, if anyone needs an SSL for his site: https://zerossl.com/
So, guess what? Forget Godaddy. I got a free certificate for the domain and all the subdomains and installed it. Whole process took about 1 hour. Done.
Now our address is https://tennisgamers.com. Fantastic !!!!!!!!!

Hopefully Google won't ignore us anymore. You'll see a message about the site not fully https because some pictures are not protected. lol lol. Who cares?

Maybe one day I'll tumble across some scripts or some setting that deals with the few renegade pictures :)... but for now, it's really not a priority. We switched to HTTPS... Because Google forced us, not because we are gaining any special protection. We don't handle credit cards and bank accounts here. And even if you click on an Ad to purchase something, the link will take you to a secure site to handle your transaction. TennisGamer doesn't sell anything to its members.
Thanks.

CrossCourtBH
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Re: Site Security (SSL)

Post by CrossCourtBH » Apr Mon 08, 2019 3:17 pm

Thanks for the update Ace
&
for your tremendous efforts keeping the site going -
much appreciated

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Ace2Ace
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Re: Site Security (SSL)

Post by Ace2Ace » Apr Mon 08, 2019 4:00 pm

Thank You !!!

rex
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Re: Site Security (SSL)

Post by rex » Apr Mon 08, 2019 4:07 pm

Well....the SSL certificate also protects passwords for the most part and at least there is the minimal security for the site I, for one, was looking for. Thanks, Ace, appreciating your efforts, as well, for looking into the issue and finding an alternative with no cost to you except time to add the secure feature. :)

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Re: Site Security (SSL)

Post by Ace2Ace » Apr Mon 08, 2019 4:51 pm

Well, Rex, if you didn't ask the questions 2 days ago, I wouldn't have looked into it.
I didn't even know Google was weeding us out of its search engine.
So thanks.

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Re: Site Security (SSL)

Post by Graveller » Apr Tue 09, 2019 3:51 am

I feel so stupid when reading all this IT-stuff...

Great job, Ace - much appreciated!
"Never argue with an idiot - they take you down to their level and then beat you on experience"

"Don't wrestle with a pig: you both get dirty, but the pig actually likes it"

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Re: Site Security (SSL)

Post by djmm1962 » Apr Tue 09, 2019 6:40 am

Ace to the rescue :-P

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Re: Site Security (SSL)

Post by Ace2Ace » Apr Tue 09, 2019 10:35 am

lol lol... just had to see what's out there. Didn't have to do much. All I did was follow some instruction.. :) :)

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Re: Site Security (SSL)

Post by sekasi » Apr Thu 11, 2019 9:09 am

Thank you for taking care of this. Apple is also policing "non secure" sites. I didn't know the different was $6 to $1600, lol, what a joke.

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