HTTP and HTTPS – WordPress Issues
In addition to the security and trust issues discussed above, standing up a WordPress site without SSL can also cause problems if you later decide to add an SSL certificate. This is because WordPress is built to work with either HTTP or HTTPS, but not both at the same time.
If you initially set up your WordPress site without SSL and then add an SSL certificate later, WordPress will still be configured to use HTTP by default. This can result in mixed content warnings, where some elements of your site (such as images or scripts) are delivered over HTTP while others are delivered over HTTPS. Mixed content warnings can cause issues with the delivery of your site’s content and can also lead to security vulnerabilities.
To fix this issue, you will need to use a plugin to parse your WordPress database and replace any non-HTTPS URLs with HTTPS URLs. There are several plugins available that can do this, such as Really Simple SSL and SSL Insecure Content Fixer. These plugins can help ensure that all elements of your site are delivered securely over HTTPS.
However, using a plugin to fix mixed content issues is not always foolproof and can sometimes cause problems with your site’s functionality. It is generally recommended to set up SSL before launching your WordPress site to avoid these issues and ensure that your site is secure from the start.
In summary, standing up a WordPress site without SSL can cause issues if you later decide to add an SSL certificate. It can lead to mixed content warnings, which can cause issues with the delivery of your site’s content and can also pose security vulnerabilities. To fix this issue, you will need to use a plugin to replace non-HTTPS URLs with HTTPS URLs in your WordPress database. However, it is generally recommended to set up SSL before launching your site to avoid these issues altogether.
When you stand up a WordPress site without using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), you are essentially allowing all communication between your site and its visitors to be transmitted in plain text, which can pose several security and privacy risks.
Here are some of the main issues that can arise from not using SSL for your WordPress site:
- Security vulnerabilities: Without SSL, your site’s login credentials, user information, and other sensitive data can be easily intercepted and read by hackers and other third parties. This can leave your site and your users vulnerable to various attacks, such as eavesdropping, session hijacking, and man-in-the-middle attacks.
- SEO impact: Google has stated that SSL is a factor in search rankings, which means that sites without SSL may be penalized in search results. This can have a negative impact on your site’s traffic and visibility.
- User trust: Users are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of SSL and may be hesitant to enter sensitive information or make purchases on sites that don’t have SSL. This can result in a decrease in conversions and revenue for your site.
- Compliance issues: If your site collects any personal information, such as names, email addresses, or payment information, you may be required by law or regulation to use SSL. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in legal and financial consequences.
In summary, standing up a WordPress site without SSL can expose your site and your users to a variety of security and privacy risks, negatively impact your search rankings and user trust, and potentially lead to compliance issues. Therefore, it is highly recommended to use SSL to encrypt all communication between your site and its visitors.