Google to offer encrypted search next week

Google has admitted it collected private data over some insecure networks with its street view cars and hence is planning to introduce encrypted search results next week.

Few months ago Google offered secure Gmail in the wake of its reports of Gmail account being hacked by Chinese authorities. Google has not recently announced in its blog that its street view cars for Google Maps did pick up fragments of data from non-password protected wireless network. This happened in Germany.

Google Search to get secure with encryption

What will Google search encryption mean?

  • Gmail offered encryption which meant the entire session is secure and encrypted. This means it is very difficult for someone in the middle to read that email even if using a unprotected wireless network.
    So Google will not offer a encrypted version for its search page. This means the usual http will be changed to https automatically.
  • Such a change usually does not mean much at the end user’s side. But it does put extra load on the servers of a company and can sometimes slow down the service.
  • Gmail has not really slowed at all after going secure and I am sure Google search will not allow its search page feature to slow down because of encryption.

Google has often been criticized for some pockets of insecurity it develops obviously because of its massive undertaking and various services it offers.

I think Hotmail, Yahoo should follow suit and also introduce complete encrypted email sessions rather than just secure sign-in sessions. What are your thoughts on it? Do let me know through your comments.