How do I know that my web browser is communicating securely?
Web browsers use the Secure Socket Layer SSL) protocol to communicate securely with web servers. It is highly recommended that you use secure connections when transmitting personal, financial, or other sensitive information over public networks such as the Internet or a wireless network.
One indicator that the web browser is using a secure communications channel can be found by looking at the URL. If the URL begins with https it means that the connection is using the secure form of the HTTP protocol.
Most web browsers also have a visual indicator when they are using secure connections. This is typically a padlock icon. Below are examples from various browsers:
