What are the consequences of an expired website certificate? Read the article to understand the hazards

at the moment when HTTPS protocol has become the standard of websites, SSL certificate is the core certificate to ensure website security and credibility. It can not only encrypt the data transmission between users and servers, but also prove the formality of the website to browsers and users. However, many website operators tend to ignore the valid period of the certificate, and wait until the website certificate expires to realize all kinds of problems. This article will analyze the various consequences that may be caused by the expiration of the website certificate in an all-round way from the perspectives of users, brands, security, traffic, etc., and provide operators with a clear risk cognition and response reference.

, will the expiration of the website certificate block normal user access?

users are the core audience of the website, the expiration of the website certificate will first directly affect the user access link, causing a series of access obstacles.

1, the browser pops up the risk warning page

when the website certificate expires, mainstream browsers such as Chrome, Edge, Firefox, etc. will immediately recognize the abnormal status of the certificate, pop up a prominent red risk warning page, clearly inform the user that the website has security risks, and it is recommended to stop visiting. Most ordinary users lack professional cyber security knowledge. After seeing such warnings, they will directly close the page and will not choose the option of "continue to visit", which directly blocks the user's path to enter the website.

2, mobile device access restrictions are stricter

compared with desktop browsers, the security mechanism of mobile devices is more stringent. Some mobile browsers or systems will directly intercept sites with expired website certificates and do not provide any entrance for continued access. For e-commerce and information websites that rely on mobile end traffic, this will lead to a large number of mobile end users churn, which directly affects the overall traffic of the website.

Second, will the expiration of the website certificate damage the brand reputation?

brand reputation is the core asset accumulated by the long-term operation of the website, the expiration of the website certificate seems to be a technical problem, but it will actually cause a direct blow to brand perception.

1, reduce user trust in the brand

in the user's cognition, the formal and credible website will inevitably do a good job of basic security maintenance, the expiration of the website certificate will make users feel that the operator is negligent in website management, and even the most basic security can not be done, and then the brand's professionalism and reliability are questioned. Especially for websites involving user funds and privacy such as finance and e-commerce, the decline in user trust will directly affect transaction conversion and repurchase behavior.

2, triggering negative word-of-mouth

some users who encounter the problem of expired website certificates will share their bad visit experience on social media, forums, and Q & A platforms. This negative word-of-mouth will spread rapidly in the network and affect more wold-be users' awareness of the brand. For brands that rely on word-of-mouth communication, this kind of negative information will offset the previous brand promotion results and increase the difficulty of brand repair.

3. Will the expiration of the website certificate trigger a data security risk?

SSL certificate is to encrypt data transmission. After the website certificate expires, this layer of security network will directly fail, causing serious data security problems.

1, user data transmission is at risk of eavesdropping

when the website certificate expires, the data transmission between the user and the server will be returned from the encrypted HTTPS protocol to the unencrypted HTTP protocol. Hackers can easily obtain the account password, bank card information, personal privacy data and other sensitive content entered by the user on the website through technical means such as network sniffing. Once these data are stolen, the user's property security and information security will be seriously threatened, and the website will also face complaints and accountability from users.

2, the website is vulnerable to malicious code implantation

website certificate expires, the browser's trust mechanism on the website fails, and hackers are more likely to plant malicious code or jump links in the website page through phishing attacks, man-in-the-middle attacks, etc. When users visit the website, these malicious codes will be automatically downloaded to the user's device, resulting in virus infection of the device, account theft and other issues, further amplifying the security hazards caused by the expiration of the website certificate.

4. Will the expiration of the website certificate affect the search engine inclusion?

search engine is an important channel for a website to obtain natural traffic, and the expiration of the website certificate will directly affect the evaluation and inclusion of the website by the search engine.

1, search engines reduce website weight ranking

Google, Baidu and other mainstream search engines will site security attributes as an important ranking factor, site certificate expiration is a clear security anomaly, the search engine will determine that the site is at risk, thereby reducing the overall weight of the site, resulting in a significant decline in the ranking of the site in the search results.

2, some pages may be deleted by search engines

if the website certificate expires for a long time, search engine crawlers may stop crawling and updating the website, and even remove some pages of the website from the search results. For content-based and e-commerce websites that rely on search engine traffic, this will lead to the website's traffic source being cut off and falling into operational difficulties.

To sum up, the harm of website certificate expiration involves user access, brand reputation, data security, search engine inclusion and other core levels, and is by no means an insignificant small problem. Website operators need to regularly check the certificate valid period, and do a good job of certificate renewal or replacement in advance to avoid various risks caused by certificate expiration and ensure the stable operation of the website and the user's security experience.