The popular web browser Google Chrome will now automatically block insecure downloads from HTTP sites thanks to a recent code change. Several HTTP sites have since been updated to use HTTPS encryption in an effort to protect the extensive data that we share about ourselves on the web, which was previously the norm.
Google, which is now the preferred option, has already implemented a series of changes that allow its users to retrieve and share data more securely.
One of those updates is the recently added "Always use secure connections" checkbox, which instructs Chrome to switch all connections from HTTP to HTTPS. The address bar of older websites that solely use HTTP will also show a "Not Secure" warning.
According to the code change discovered by 9To5Google, the toggle will now warn users against downloading anything from an HTTP connection. Chrome users were previously notified when an HTTPS website downloaded a file in HTTP format, which is known as mixed content.
Given the nature of a toggle button, it will primarily act as a warning rather than a complete preventative measure, letting users use the web as they see fit, which in some situations may still include an insecure HTTP connection.
The update is unlikely to appear in Chrome 111, which is scheduled for release in March 2023, but it could be included in the company's next release later that year.
Google's dedication to its browser, whether through security enhancements or other features such as the recently announced memory and energy saver modes, has been lauded by web users, with the company now accounting for two-thirds (66%) of all desktop browsers installed, according to StatCounter.