When you visit a website, do you see a padlock icon on the browser's address bar? That’s one of the first signs that a website is safe to visit. That padlock is a security feature that authenticates websites and ensures that the data that users submit to that site is protected.

As people’s reliance on the internet deepened through the years, cybercriminals also began to move more stealthily. Online shoppers, for instance, can be led to a payment page that has no HTTPS in its URL. If they enter their personal details on this page, they will be a prime target for identity theft without them knowing.