Online rights group the Electronic Frontier Foundation published version 2.0 of its free browser-securing Firefox extension HTTPS Everywhere this week, increasing the number of supported sites and introducing a security alert option that tips you off to the questionable ones.
More languages and 400 new websites have been added to HTTPS Everywhere. The biggest change, however, comes from the addition of the Decentralized SSL Observatory - a system that helps safeguard users against insecure sites and "man in the middle"-style cyber attacks.
EFF Technology Projects Director Peter Eckersley explained how switching on the optional feature aids the organization in its goal for a safer, more secure Internet.
"If you turn on this feature, it will send anonymous copies of certificates for HTTPS websites to EFF's SSL Observatory database, which will allow us to study them and detect problems with the web's cryptographic and security infrastructure," said Eckersley. "The Decentralized SSL Observatory is also capable of giving real-time warnings about these problems."
HTTPS, or Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, is an encryption protocol that helps to protect web denizens from cyber attacks and better secure online consumers' financial information. Only certain sites support HTTPS.
Web denizens partial to Chrome will be happy to hear an HTTPS Everywhere beta is finally available for the browser. Both versions can be downloaded here.
