May 21, 2010

Extending SSL to Google search



Google understands the potential risks of browsing the web on an unsecured network, particularly when information is sent over the wire unencrypted — as it is for most major websites today. That’s why we offered SSL support for Gmail back when we launched the product in 2004. Most other webmail providers don’t provide this feature even today. We’ve since added SSL support for Calendar, Docs, Sites, and several other products. Additionally, early this year we made SSL the default setting for all Gmail users.

As we work to provide more support for SSL across our products, today we’re introducing the ability to search with Google over SSL. We still have some testing to do, but you can try out the new encrypted version of Google search at https://www.google.com and read more about it on the Official Google Blog.

8 comments:

  1. to make it work do this:

    First visit: http://www.google.com/ncr

    Then visit:
    https://www.google.com/webhp

    That should do it..

    ReplyDelete
  2. Currently, when a user clicks a cached snapshot link in Google's search engine results list, a URL displays that includes in clear text both the cached website URL and the user's search keywords.

    Example:

    Search keywords: [ski equipment]

    An example clear text URL of an arbitrary web site clicked from Google's search results: http://www.skis.com

    An example clear text URL of the related cached web site clicked from Google's search engine results: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:t3SmcuNSLKIJ:www.skis.com/+ski+equipment&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk

    Google's cached website versions usually do not display an entire web site. However, it would enhance user security and privacy if Google encrypted the URLs it displays for its cached web sites.

    http://googcomments.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. how about some SSL support for iGoogle ?

    i keep trying to use iGoogle via https but every iGoogle page gets redirected via regular http :|

    ReplyDelete
  4. I hope SSL search works or Google. I know there is a lot of testing first, but at least Google is taking the first step, to keep evil out.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Just tried it in the UK and it works fine for me

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hmm..
    Did google already notice..
    now many wordpress user use SEO SearchTerms2 and Bstat plugin ?

    And search engines are now filled with garbage..

    This is very annoying at all..

    ReplyDelete
  7. Putting the secure search onto the same URL as Google Apps authentication will cause major problems for schools as it bypasses their filtering and will therefore be blocked by many Local Authorities (UK) and schools districts (USA). Either secure search or account authentication needs to be moved to a distinct domain so they can be differentially filtered.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I agree, but I don't understand why Contacts service i out of SSL protection.

    ReplyDelete

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